The LA Times is reporting that Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather have agreed to enhanced drug testing by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). While in previous negotiations for this fight, the parties stalled on the issue, this time around the Olympic-style drug testing was quickly accepted.
One of the reasons why the camps for Mayweather and Pacquiao could never put the fight together was due to issues related to drug testing. Mayweather had accused Pacquiao of taking steroids. This led to a lawsuit in which Pacquiao sued Mayweather for defamation. In addition to a settlement in which Mayweather paid Pacquiao a reported $5 million, he also paid Pacquiao’s lawyers over $113,000 in legal fees and costs for evading a deposition.
Bob Arum, Pacquiao’s promoter, indicates that Pacquiao has submitted to VADA (Voluntary Anti-Doping Association) for years. The organization implements similar drug testing protocol to USADA.
Under USADA, the boxers will submit to urine and blood testing which may happen at any time. Each fighter has agreed to the World Anti-Doping Agency code stipulation which includes a four-year ban from competition if an athlete tests positive for a banned substance.
Payout Perspective:
The drug testing issue is good news and verifies the fact that each fighter should be free of PEDs. The UFC will be looking for a similar drug testing policy by July and an organization like USADA would be very beneficial in cleaning up the sport. Obviously for the UFC, there are a variety of hurdles (legal and political) it must clear before it implements its policy in July.
The ufc used a chepie lab for cung lee’s fight in macau…with a disastrous result hahahahahaha