YOU BLOODY MORONS: THIS IS BIGGER THAN MAYWEATHER-PACQUIAO

By G. Leon

Is Manny Pacquiao's decision not to partake in the rigorous drug test that Team Mayweather is requesting suspicious? Absolutely. There isn't a fighter who would risk $30M+ for bloodwork, but there is much more to this than meets than eye. Floyd Mayweather Jr is not bigger than boxing. His ego might be, but he is not. Like Pacquiao, Mayweather rapidly achieved success in multiple weight classes (140-154). Had Mayweather's lone opponent at 154, Oscar De La Hoya, demanded that Mayweather take additional drug tests not MANDATED by the commission, following his expeditious leap from lightweight to junior middleweight title challenger, is this something Floyd would have welcomed with open arms? (Of course, this might be an unfair comparison since De La Hoya has promoted every Mayweather fight since then.) To me Mayweather's demands imply that he feels every Manny Pacquiao fight that takes place in his hometown, Las Vegas, Nevada, the boxing capitol of the world, isn't happening on the level.

Have you ever seen an unsigned fight appear on SportsCenter more than than Mayweather-Pacquiao? Having this fight come to fruition without any implications of corruption would help take out sport to new heights.

And then what happens? Information is leaked about Pacquiao's unwillingness to take additional testing that is not required by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

Mayweather's official statement was a joke. Anybody who has ever heard him talk knows he didn't write it. I mean "Frankly." PLEASE. Maybe Mayweather knows someone back in Grand Rapids named Frank Lee, but frankly Pacquiao shouldn't have to go above and beyond the NSAC requirements because Mayweather says so. The fact that he's already agreed to take additional tests twice is more than any fighter on the top level would have and should have conceded to. Can you really picture a Klitschko allowing David Haye to make such a demand for a fight?

Floyd Mayweather's decision to retire enabled Pacquiao, via the excitement he brings to the ring to become the pound for pound upgrade in his absence, something that can't sit well with Mayweather, or his ego.

Team Mayweather should leave well enough alone, especially considering that Pacquiao would have no problem waiting until the summer or September for this fight to happen since he's looking foward to running for congress in the Philippines, a move that would likely cause Mayweather to once again seek advance money from Al Haymon and Oscar De La Hoya.

Regardless of how this plays out, now Mayweather and Pacquiao will be asked countless questions of alleged malfeasance taking place in what could become the highest grossing fight ever, and no matter how you slice it, that's not good for our sport.

These are the best two fighters in the world. One is a master boxer and the other one is a beast the likes of which I've never seen. That needs to be the story, not additional drug testing which isn't required by one of the most respected commissions in boxing.

If Mayweather's attitude towards what this fight means to boxing doesn't chage soon, I might regret his ever going broke forcing him to come back. By the time everyone involved was paid back, Mayweather wasn't Scrooge McDuckin it after the Marquez fight. And of course the fact that Mayweather and his braintrust also know that there are likely no more $30M, $20M or $10M fights out there for him if he loses, has absolutely nothing to do with their current concerns.

Source: boxingtalk.com

Will Bad Blood Scuttle the Pacquiao-Mayweather Fight?

By Gary Andrew Poole Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009

The talk of the fight world has been the March welterweight title clash between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Superlatives have been thrown around, including the likelihood of it being the most lucrative boxing match ever. But it may now well be the greatest fight that never was.

Pacquiao, the world's best pound-for-pound boxer, has a reputation for leaving his opponents in a bloody pulp, but his refusal to provide a blood sample before the bout — as demanded by the Mayweather camp — has led to an abrupt end to planning for the mega-matchup. The Filipino boxer, who has become an international sports icon, doesn't want his blood drawn within 30 days of the contest. Mayweather's team says the test is standard for Olympic athletes. However, Pacquiao and his trainer Freddie Roach believe any blood test close to the opening bell will weaken him. "We will abide by the [boxing] commission rules on a blood test after the fight and urine tests anytime," says Roach. He adds that Mayweather, who used to be the world's best pound-for-pound boxer, knows Pacquiao is very superstitious and doesn't like having his blood drawn close to fight night. A statement from Pacquiao's promoters specified that the Filipino fighter has already agreed to take blood tests as prescribed, including one in January when the fight was to have been officially announced; and one no later than Feb. 13, which is 30 days before the match. The additional blood test request, Roach claims, is as an excuse to scuttle the fight. "Mayweather doesn't dictate the rules, boxing commissions do; this is not something required in boxing," says Roach. "We're gonna knock this bum out, he knows it, and he is scared." (See pictures of the rise of Manny Pacquiao.)

The American boxer professed disappointment in a statement. "I understand Pacquiao not liking having his blood taken, because frankly I don't know anyone who really does," said Mayweather. "But in a fight of this magnitude, I think it is our responsibility to subject ourselves to sportsmanship at the highest level. I have already agreed to the testing and it is a shame that he is not willing to do the same. It leaves me with great doubt as to the level of fairness I would be facing in the ring that night."

But Mayweather is known to relish in getting under his opponent's skin. And, apart from the blowup on the part of Pacquiao's promoters, what Mayweather has done is inject an accusatory undertone of doping that is bound to irritate the Pacquiao camp, because it potentially tarnishes the seven-time champion's dramatic victories. "Mayweather is using this to harass Manny," says Bob Arum, Pacquiao's promoter. "This fight is down the drain. It makes no sense at all. My kid is clean as a whistle." (See the top 10 sports moments of 2009.)

Pacquiao has been called a once-in-a-lifetime fighter, and he has stolen much of the limelight from Mayweather. The Mayweather camp has been incredulous about Pacquiao's record. Pacquiao started his career at 106 lbs and has won seven championship belts in seven weight classes; he now fights at 144 lbs, almost a 40-lb swing. He is known for his ring artistry, in which he slips and slides in the ring like a ghost, strikes his opponent at so many angles and lands punches with concussive force.(See the meaning and mythos of Manny Pacquiao.)

But Mayweather is one of the smartest boxers around. "He is brilliant at draining the drama from a fight, but he also wins," says Larry Merchant, the HBO boxing analyst. By making a request that he expected Pacquiao to turn down, he may have proven that he is just as good a tactician outside the ring as in it. Or as Pacquiao enthusiasts may add, Mayweather is good at getting out of the ring as well.

If Pacquiao and Mayweather never meet in the fight, it will be a major body blow to boxing, a sport that seemed to gain mainstream momentum this year, mostly because of charismatic Pacquiao's rags-to-riches story. His November fight in Las Vegas against Miguel Cotto brought worldwide, and more importantly American, attention back to the fight game. After Pacquiao defeated Cotto there was immediate talk of a bout with Mayweather. The crowd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas chanted, "We want Floyd! We want Floyd!" (See the rise of mixed martial arts: the new rules of fight club.)

It is difficult to imagine the two fighters, and particularly their promoters, walking away from a fight that could be the biggest payday of their careers, which Arum, the promoter, estimates could bring each fighter $40 million. The fight can be salvaged, Arum says, if a drug-testing compromise can be made between both camps. Arum says that in addition to boxing commission drug testing, Pacquiao is willing to have his urine examined by drug testing agencies that evaluate NBA, MLB and NFL players.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1949885,00.html#ixzz0ad1GmORAThe talk of the fight world has been the March welterweight title clash between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Superlatives have been thrown around, including the likelihood of it being the most lucrative boxing match ever. But it may now well be the greatest fight that never was.

Pacquiao, the world's best pound-for-pound boxer, has a reputation for leaving his opponents in a bloody pulp, but his refusal to provide a blood sample before the bout — as demanded by the Mayweather camp — has led to an abrupt end to planning for the mega-matchup. The Filipino boxer, who has become an international sports icon, doesn't want his blood drawn within 30 days of the contest. Mayweather's team says the test is standard for Olympic athletes. However, Pacquiao and his trainer Freddie Roach believe any blood test close to the opening bell will weaken him. "We will abide by the [boxing] commission rules on a blood test after the fight and urine tests anytime," says Roach. He adds that Mayweather, who used to be the world's best pound-for-pound boxer, knows Pacquiao is very superstitious and doesn't like having his blood drawn close to fight night. A statement from Pacquiao's promoters specified that the Filipino fighter has already agreed to take blood tests as prescribed, including one in January when the fight was to have been officially announced; and one no later than Feb. 13, which is 30 days before the match. The additional blood test request, Roach claims, is as an excuse to scuttle the fight. "Mayweather doesn't dictate the rules, boxing commissions do; this is not something required in boxing," says Roach. "We're gonna knock this bum out, he knows it, and he is scared." (See pictures of the rise of Manny Pacquiao.)

The American boxer professed disappointment in a statement. "I understand Pacquiao not liking having his blood taken, because frankly I don't know anyone who really does," said Mayweather. "But in a fight of this magnitude, I think it is our responsibility to subject ourselves to sportsmanship at the highest level. I have already agreed to the testing and it is a shame that he is not willing to do the same. It leaves me with great doubt as to the level of fairness I would be facing in the ring that night."

But Mayweather is known to relish in getting under his opponent's skin. And, apart from the blowup on the part of Pacquiao's promoters, what Mayweather has done is inject an accusatory undertone of doping that is bound to irritate the Pacquiao camp, because it potentially tarnishes the seven-time champion's dramatic victories. "Mayweather is using this to harass Manny," says Bob Arum, Pacquiao's promoter. "This fight is down the drain. It makes no sense at all. My kid is clean as a whistle." (See the top 10 sports moments of 2009.)

Pacquiao has been called a once-in-a-lifetime fighter, and he has stolen much of the limelight from Mayweather. The Mayweather camp has been incredulous about Pacquiao's record. Pacquiao started his career at 106 lbs and has won seven championship belts in seven weight classes; he now fights at 144 lbs, almost a 40-lb swing. He is known for his ring artistry, in which he slips and slides in the ring like a ghost, strikes his opponent at so many angles and lands punches with concussive force.(See the meaning and mythos of Manny Pacquiao.)

But Mayweather is one of the smartest boxers around. "He is brilliant at draining the drama from a fight, but he also wins," says Larry Merchant, the HBO boxing analyst. By making a request that he expected Pacquiao to turn down, he may have proven that he is just as good a tactician outside the ring as in it. Or as Pacquiao enthusiasts may add, Mayweather is good at getting out of the ring as well.

If Pacquiao and Mayweather never meet in the fight, it will be a major body blow to boxing, a sport that seemed to gain mainstream momentum this year, mostly because of charismatic Pacquiao's rags-to-riches story. His November fight in Las Vegas against Miguel Cotto brought worldwide, and more importantly American, attention back to the fight game. After Pacquiao defeated Cotto there was immediate talk of a bout with Mayweather. The crowd at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas chanted, "We want Floyd! We want Floyd!" (See the rise of mixed martial arts: the new rules of fight club.)

It is difficult to imagine the two fighters, and particularly their promoters, walking away from a fight that could be the biggest payday of their careers, which Arum, the promoter, estimates could bring each fighter $40 million. The fight can be salvaged, Arum says, if a drug-testing compromise can be made between both camps. Arum says that in addition to boxing commission drug testing, Pacquiao is willing to have his urine examined by drug testing agencies that evaluate NBA, MLB and NFL players.

Source: time.com

BOB ARUM: MAYWEATHER JUST DOESN'T WANT TO FIGHT PACQUIAO

By G. Leon

GL: Why is Manny Pacquiao opposed to the Olympic style drug testing? "Don't give me this nonsese about the Olympic style drug testing. The Nevada Commission has drug testing prodcedures, and Mayweather, in order to find a way out of this fight, started this nonsense about having other tests taken. He is not the commissioner, the commission is the Nevada commission and they have jurisdiction over the fight. I pulled out of these negotiations three weeks ago becuase I wasn't going to put up with it, but Todd said that he would find a solution. First they agreed that Manny would do urine analysis until he couldn't piss anymore. Whenever they wanted he would piss, they agreed to take his blood before the press conference and after the fight. Then they appeased the little rascal even more by saying they would take it 30 days before. But nothing is good for Mayweather because he doesn't want the fight.

He knows that Manny has a phobia of putting needles in and extracting blood when it got close to the fight. He Knew that Pacquiao would't do it and he kept on insisting on it, but Pacquiao just won't do it. If you check with any boxing drug testing specialist.

"Len Satterfield quoted one of the biggest experts in the field, who has 800 football players, who said that sophisticated urine analysis is better than blood testing to detect steroids or anything else. This is just a nonsense issue raised by Mayweather in order to get into the fight."

GL: The whole superstition that Pacquiao has about..

Bob Arum: (cutting in) "It's not a superstition."

GL: That's what ESPN is saying.

BA: "I don't care what they call it. He feels that taking blood from him immediately beofre the fight or a few weeks before the fight. This is what he believes and this is what Freddie believe and we're not going to do it. End of story, case closed and we're going to be moving on to another opponent."

GL: My two part question is this, first off how soon before a fight would Pacquiao give his bloodwork for the HIV test and whatever medicals need to be conducted, and seconldy, what's the problem if the test is conducted after the fight?

BA: "We would agree to that, there isn't any. You're absolutely correct. HE would agree to the test immediately after the fight and he would give blood to the commission in the beginning of the year at the press conference, which had been scheduled for January 6. Even though we believe blood testing determines nothing, we would agree to do it after the fight, of course."

GL: And how soon before the fight would he normally get the bloodwork done for his medicals?

BA: "It depends on when he applied for the license. So in this case he would apply in January and do it in January."

GL: So none of this has anything to do with Manny's desire to run for congress.

BA: "Absolutely not. It won't interfere with the promotion, that was the point of doing it in March, but the point is, Floyd Mayweather is not the commission of boxing. Floyd Mayweather is under the jurisdiction, if we fight in Nevada, which I'm sure we would. To appease him we agreed to urine analysis and the blood test before the fight and after."

GL: Is now until March 13 enough time to promote what could be the biggest fight in boxing history?

BA: "I think it's a short window and I agree with you Greg. The biggest fight in boxing history was the first Ali-Frazier fight and that wasn't signed until the end of December and it happened on March 8. It's much more difficult to promote fights and get info out in those days, so the answer is it can be done, but moments are ticking off and the more this goes on, it's appearing less and less likely."

GL: You said that you're sure the fight would take place in Vegas. Does that mean they're offering more than the $25M Jerry Jones is offering to make the fight?

BA: "I don't want to get into it, but I think before this issue came to a head, I think both sides had agreed to do the fight at the MGM Grand."

GL: Can you give us some thoughts on Kelly's peformance?

BA: "I think everybody loved the show. Kelly needed a test like Espino because he had so much rust. Given the rust he had and the fact that Espino came out like a real warrior, I think he did really well."

GL: I spoke with Jack Loew and he made it clear that Pavlik will stay at middleweight and he wants to fight Paul Williams. Is that a realistic option?

BA: "FOr me it is. We had a contract on December 5, and it didn't happen because of Kelly's hand. We're willing to do it on HBO on the earliest possible opportunity, all they have to do is initial the old contract and it's done."

GL: Since Kelly's hand is healed, other than a serious fluke, you have no doubt the fight would come off?

BA: "Let me assure you Greg that Kelly was seriously injured. It sounds ridiculous that a finger could do this, but it was a staph infection and he nearly died. If you want to inspect the records from the Cleveland clinic, which is one of the foremost hospitals in the country we'll arrange for it.

GL: I think the issue people have has more to do with the fight being scheduled for December 5, it didn't happen on December 5. We watch Williams fight somebody else on December 5 and then Pavlik is back in the ring two weeks later.

BA: "That's right, because Kelly even on December 19 only had a month to prepare. He couldn't fight Williams on a two week training period, that would have been crazy."

GL: Unless a resolution is reached and agree to let Pacquiao take the tests when he's willing to take the tests, will there be a fight on March 13?

BA: "No. No. No. No. I think that's not in the cards."

GL: Closing thoughts?

BA: "Mayweather never had any intetion to fight Pacquiao and this demonstrates it.

Source: boxingtalk.com

Mayweather-Pacquiao appears dead over drug testing issue, and there's blame to go around

By David Mayo | The Grand Rapids Press
December 23, 2009, 12:05PM

Mayo-column-mug.jpgYou might think someone will blink, and that either Floyd Mayweather's camp will relent on this blood feud, or Manny Pacquiao's camp will relent and allow a few pinpricks so everyone can bleed money.

Of course, that assumes common sense prevails, which isn't always the case in boxing.

Money usually does prevail, however, and if Mayweather-Pacquiao actually does disintegrate over a disagreement in how to administer random drug tests, it would be a bigger upset than the night Buster Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson.

Happy Holidays, sports fans. The prettiest package under your tree just got smashed to smithereens.

And the discussion of who did the smashing is well under way.

At issue is that the Mayweather wanted to ensure that Pacquiao doesn't use performance-enhancing drugs via Olympic-style, random blood testing, administered by either the U.S. Anti-Doping Association, or an independent laboratory using the same technology.

Pacquiao agreed to three blood tests, according to his promoter, Bob Arum -- one at the beginning of training camp in January; another no later than Feb. 13, or 30 days before the fight; and a final test after the fight -- and random urine sampling in between.

When neither side would budge, the accusations flew. Arum and Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, claim Mayweather is looking for a way out of the fight. Mayweather, in a statement, said he merely wants to ensure a level playing field, while his adviser, Leonard Ellerbe, said he can't believe Pacquiao would let the fight fall apart over blood testing, and his father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., said this validates his performance-enhancing charges against Pacquiao.

At the core of this fallout were two egregious demands, one by each side, that were the final sticking points in a fight which had an agreed-upon date (March 13), site (MGM Grand in Las Vegas), weight limit (147 pounds) and financial split (50-50):

• One, Pacquiao demanded a usurious $10 million payment to the offended fighter if either man came in even a fraction heavier than 147 pounds. That demand was based on Mayweather paying $600,000 to Juan Manuel Marquez after weighing 146 pounds for a September fight.

Of course, that ignores that the real weight limit for Mayweather-Marquez was, in fact, 147, but with a contractual stipulation for a $300,000 payment for each pound heavier than 144. Mayweather abided by the weight restrictions in a screwball contract, just as he has for all his professional fights. Faced with Pacquiao's enormous penalty requirement, Mayweather agreed.

Two, Mayweather demanded both fighters submit to USADA-style random blood testing, obviously based on the performance-enhancement charges first raised by his father.

Pacquiao has passed urine screens -- including for steroids -- in all previous post-fight testing in Nevada. Keith Kizer, the state commission’s executive director, said that body would continue to enforce its own testing, but that additional testing could be negotiated by the parties.

Faced with Mayweather's over-the-top drug-testing demand, Pacquiao refused and, as of now, the fight will not happen.

The concern in the Mayweather camp is that if Pacquiao only submits to blood testing three times, he would have time to engorge performance-enhancers which can be masked from urine detection -- primarily HGH and the synthetic blood-boosting hormone EPO -- but easily detected by blood sampling.

The concern on Pacquiao's side is that Mayweather's demand is nothing but a way to "harass" its fighter, Arum said. Roach claimed Pacquiao would feel "weakened" by frequent blood testing.

Both concerns can be dismissed as absolutely ludicrous: Pacquiao supporters say Mayweather is trying to weasel out of the fight or create a built-in excuse if he loses; Mayweather supporters say it's absurd to think a little drawn blood would weaken anyone and non-compliance merely heightens speculation.

ARE YOU ON TWITTER?
twitter-MLive2.png
Follow David Mayo at twitter.com/David_Mayo
Whether the fight can be pulled back together will require concession, although this issue has been on the table two weeks, and neither side has blinked.

Time is running out.

The fight looks dead. And regardless whom you support, you can find plenty of blame to spread around.

Source: mlive.com

The Rules Regarding Blood That May Put Mayweather-Pacquiao in the Crypt

Paul Haberman Esq.

A Look at the Anti-Doping Regulations That May Kill Boxing’s Mega- Fight of 2010 and How They Would be Adopted for The Mayweather-Pacquiao Bout


It is being widely reported this week that the proposed mega-fight between the two best fighters in professional boxing today, Filipino sensation Manny (Pac Man) Pacquiao and the undefeated Floyd (Money) Mayweather, Jr., tentatively scheduled for March 13, 2010, may now be in serious jeopardy. The reason: Pacquiao does not wish to contractually consent to Olympic-style drug testing procedures. According to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com:


“Olympic style drug testing is more rigorous than the drug testing performed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission [the commission with jurisdiction over Las Vegas’ MGM Grand, where the fight is reportedly now scheduled to be held] and other state commissions. It would involve random blood and urine testing before and after the fight. Nevada commission testing only tests urine for banned substances, only just before the fight and once immediately following the fight.”1


Mayweather, whose father has been quoted in the press since after Pacquiao’s November 14, 2009 bout with Miguel Cotto as saying that he believed that Pacquiao uses performance enhancing drugs, reportedly wants a provision for random drug testing in their bout agreement “to ensure fair play and sportsmanship by both fighters.”2 The Pacquiao camp, in turn, has reportedly stated that Pacquiao has difficulties with taking blood and does not wish to do so in close proximity to the fight.3 Regardless of the rationale, two of the many questions that arise are where exactly does this request find its origin, and what are some of the possible implications and extensions of contracting to Olympic-style drug testing? A quick analysis of each question follows.


The Regulatory Origins of Olympic-Style Drug Testing


2009 World Doping Code


The 2009 World Doping Code (“WDC”), as instituted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (“WADA”), the international anti-doping governing body for amateur sports, mandates that a given nation’s anti-doping agency “[p]lan and conduct an effective number of In-Competition and Out-of-Competition tests on Athletes over whom they have jurisdiction[.]” WDC Article 5.1. All such athletes shall be subject to the “whereabouts requirement” of WADA’s “International Standard for Testing.” Id. The “whereabouts requirement” mandates that an athlete that is selected for out-of-competition drug testing “shall provide accurate, current location information” such that they may be subjected to drug testing at all times prior to a competition.4 This requirement is in place so that a given agency knows where to find an athlete at all times for drug test administration. All such out-of-competition testing “shall be initiated and directed by both international and national organizations.” WDC Article 5.2.5


United States Olympic Committee National Anti-Doping Policies


As inferred above, WADA delegates some of its out-of-competition drug testing to an individual nation’s anti-doping agency. In the United States, the agencies that share that responsibility are the United States Olympic Committee (“USOC”) and the United States Anti-Doping Agency (“USADA”). Under the USOC’s National Anti-Doping Policies, effective January 1, 2009, all athletes that are eligible for inclusion on the United States Olympic or Paralympic Teams shall participate in a “registered testing pool”6 organized by USADA “for a period of at least 12 months before the commencement of the Games, provided, however, in exceptional circumstances, for good cause shown in writing, the USOC CEO may waive a portion of this 12 month period.” USOC National Anti-Doping Policies (“NADP”) at 4. During that 12 month period, their eligibility for participation in a given international competition can be revoked if they test positive for any number of a myriad of banned substances. USADA carves out an exception for “therapeutic use” that includes situations where “emergency treatment or treatment of an acute medical condition was necessary.” 7 While other exceptions exist as well, this particular one could prove relevant to the discussion below, as there has been some history in boxing of “therapeutic use” claims in connection with positive drug testing.


Possible Implications and Extensions of Employing Olympic-Style Drug Testing Before Mayweather-Pacquiao


Despite the fairly long-winded summary of the regulatory foundation of Olympic-style drug testing above, its application in Mayweather-Pacquiao simply means that each boxer would be subject to random drug testing throughout the course of their respective training camps. WADA and USADA would be replaced in this instance by a neutral outside laboratory or agency selected by the camps to conduct the random testing. If the camps fully embrace the rules summarized above, both Mayweather and Pacquiao will be mandated to report where they are at all times to the selected outside laboratory or agency so that the laboratory or agency knows where to send its people for conduction of the random tests. Since this testing requirement would come about by contract and not by any governing law, it could theoretically be up to the camps whether or not to allow for a “therapeutic use” exception.”


If Pacquiao employs a similar training camp as he did for his bout with Cotto, a “whereabouts requirement” would mandate that Pacquiao had to report each and every time that he left Los Angeles, home of the Wild Card Gym, the base of operations for his lead trainer, Freddie Roach, and went over to his training facilities in Philippines, and vice versa. Likewise, should Mayweather decide to train outside of his home base in Las Vegas, at altitude in Big Bear, California, for example, he too would be responsible for immediately informing the designated laboratory or agency. Of these possible scenarios, the trickiest for random testing purposes would be when Pacquiao trains in the Philippines, which could result in sizeable expenses for the promoters if they have to pay to send the testing personnel overseas. However, if Pacquiao were not to be tested during any stay in the Philippines, it would be as if he had his own personal exception to the random drug testing rule for as long as he stayed there.


The possibility of employing the “therapeutic use” exception could potentially open the door to controversy, and indeed has throughout recent boxing history. Notably, former multi-division world champion James (Lights Out) Toney tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone following his unanimous decision win over John (The Quiet Man) Ruiz for the World Boxing Association heavyweight championship in 2005. Toney vehemently denied using steroids for performance enhancement purposes. Instead, Toney alleged that he ingested nandrolone for therapeutic purposes, as it assisted in the recovery from an earlier biceps and triceps surgery. Nonetheless, Toney was stripped of the WBA title and his decision win was changed to a “no-contest” by the New York State Athletic Commission.


Here, a “therapeutic use” exception could prove useful to both boxers. As documented on the HBO Series “24/7” during Mayweather’s preparation for his bout for Britain’s Ricky Hatton, Mayweather’s body apparently requires a host of therapeutic treatments as a result of the wear and tear of his many years of being a top-shelf athlete. It certainly would not surprise anyone if Pacquiao had similar physical ailments, though they have not been documented in any of the “24/7” programs on his bouts. Regardless, if either one sustained an appreciable training injury that could either result in the fight being postponed or the use of an ordinarily banned substance to expedite treatment and preserve the date, Mayweather and Pacquiao would have some decisions to make.


One possible solution would be to incorporate a “therapeutic use” exception alongside a provision for submission to an independent medical examination after or just before the use of a banned substance, so that a neutral outside doctor selected by the aggrieved camp could evaluate the boxer at issue as to the severity of his injury and provide an opinion as to whether they is any alternative to using the banned substance to timely and effectively treat the alleged injury. This could get messy, however, as one party could theoretically then request a second examination by another outside doctor if they do not hear the answer they want. It may also end up being moot, since if the substance at issue is banned in Nevada and shows up during Nevada’s mandatory testing, the fight could be off or the decision changed to a no-contest anyway. More generally, such an examination could be disruptive to a training camp. Nonetheless, if the camps wanted safeguards in place in exchange for allowing a “therapeutic use” exception, and to minimize the controversy generated by any such use, an independent medical examination would be one avenue to consider.


In the end, whether Olympic-style drug testing of any form, or the bout as a whole, takes place in 2010 will come down to no more than whether Mayweather and Pacquiao’s people can iron out this difference over testing, and any others outstanding, in the coming weeks. As it is, the March 13, 2010 date cannot undergo much more delay in being made official, as press conferences have to be commenced, television production organized, and training camps formulated and begun. For the good of boxing’s continued climb back into the mainstream, here’s hoping they work this out soon and that Mayweather-Pacquiao does not get sent to the crypt over blood.

Source: 8countnews.com

Blood feud: Mayweather, Pacquiao may both cheat (smartly)

NY Boxing Examiner | Michael Marley

(Warning: There are absolutely zero jokes, puns or even Marley sarcasm in this column. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.)

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has accomplished one despicable thing with this late in the negotiations demand for random drug testing for Manny Pacquiao.

By agreeing to subject himself to random testing, Mayweather portrays himself as the clean guy, the surely drug free guy.

Simultaneously, if Manny doesn’t roll over to his demands, Pacman is portrayed as the athlete who must have something to hide, a highly suspected drug cheater whose glorious victories over Oscar de la Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Miguel Cotto must be viewed with some skepticism as to their honesty.

Further, even if Pacquiao can upset the odds by handing Mayweather his first pro ring defeat, there will be a drug cloud of suspicion hanging over him if he continues to refuse the random testing.

Frankly, I don’t know if Megamanny cheats and neither do you or anyone named Mayweather, Schaefer or Haymon.

Ditto for Mayweather.

The thought that occurs that both might be cheating, as so many other world class jocks have done and are doing, by using something like HGH which cannot be detected by either bloor or urine samples.

If they were, would either gain an advantage over the other? I’ll leave that you chemists out there in Pacland and Mayweatherville.

If either or both are using something undetectable, the secret will stay secret, I suppose.

Now, with all this money in the $30 million range for both camps, I want to see Manny and Floyd do the sensible thing, the businesslike thing.

Floyd needs to drop this 11th hour demand and he and Manny need to put their John Hancocks on the contracts.

Then we can look forward to a good, clean (as far as we will ever know) fight come March 13.

Given human nature and their competitive fires, I’d put my money on both fighters doing whatever they can do (without getting caught) to win.

Those competitive fires are a big reason of how they reached the mountaintop where they are today.
There’s nothing sacrosanct or holier than thou about either boxer.

Anyone who thinks otherwise has his head stuck in sand a long way from the land of common sense.

Source: Examiner.com

Pacquiao can’t afford to pass on megafight

By Dan Wetzel, Yahoo! Sports

The request by Floyd Mayweather for both he and Manny Pacquiao to potentially be blood tested as close as 48 hours from their possible March superfight is both unprecedented and unnecessary.

Pacquiao’s de facto manager told Yahoo! Sports’ Kevin Iole that Pacman will be blood tested one month out and just after the possible March 13 fight in (likely) Las Vegas. That schedule should answer any possible doping questions about Pacquiao (or Mayweather). The 48-hour deadline is a classic Mayweather psychological ploy, a little edge designed to get into his opponent’s head.

That said, at this point, with the debate this far along, Pacquiao should just suck it up and agree to it.
ADVERTISEMENT


Mayweather is a master at putting opponents in bad positions, both inside and outside the ring. Pacquiao is in one now, outfoxed by Mayweather in the fight negotiations. There’s no way Pacquiao can explain walking away from one of the biggest bouts in boxing history because, as his promoter suggests, he’s afraid of needles.

Do that and it isn’t just the game of boxing that takes a beating – it’s also Pacquiao’s reputation. The semantics about boxing standards or steroid cycles or unfair negotiations won’t break through what would, no doubt, be a vocal hammering from critics, none louder than from the Mayweathers.

“For that kind of money, how could you not take a test?” Floyd’s father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., has already crowed to the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press.

Indeed, how do you not take a test?

The Mayweather camp has been outspoken in its suspicions about Pacquiao and performance-enhancing drugs. So it demanded that both fighters possibly submit blood samples to the United States Anti-Doping Agency in the days before and after the fight. When to test would be up to USADA. Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, said they’d stick to State of Nevada regulations, although Pacquiao’s adviser, Michael Koncz, said they’d do blood samples, just not that close to the fight.

That isn’t good enough, so far, for the Mayweather camp. If no one budges, boxing may be in the process of shooting itself in the foot, walking away from an event that already has fans worldwide buzzing in anticipation. More likely: Something gets worked out in time for a fight announcement in early January.

“In a fight of this magnitude, I think it is our responsibility to subject ourselves to sportsmanship at the highest level,” Mayweather Jr. said in a statement.

“We’re going in a different direction,” Arum told the Grand Rapids Press. “What I believe is that Floyd never really wanted the fight and this is just harassment of Pacquiao.”

There’s little doubt this is harassment of Pacquiao. What else would you expect from Floyd Mayweather? He’s the master at screwing with opponents. Making Pacquiao discuss PEDs in the run up to the fight is a potential distraction – even if he’s clean. That was, no doubt, a goal when his camp requested aggressive doping standards.

This isn’t Mayweather’s normal bluster, though. He’s on the moral high ground here. The Pacquiao camp can hate the situation it finds itself in and may be correct that the requests are mostly ridiculous. It doesn’t change the reality of the debate.

If Pacman pulls out of the fight because of the timetable for doping tests, he’ll have a near-impossible challenge proving he isn’t trying to hide something.

Arum isn’t doing Pacquiao any favors with some of his silly excuses. He said Pacquiao is squeamish about needles, which is a heck of a thing to blow up a contest to determine the toughest pound-for-pound fighter on the planet.

He added that Pacquiao thinks a blood test within 48 hours of the fight might drain him, although most such tests take very little actual blood. Then there’s Arum’s claim that every doctor in the world would say doing such a thing is “stupid” and blood tests don’t “prove anything.” That’s hyperbole.

“Manny Pacquiao doesn’t know anything about drugs,” Arum told the Grand Rapids paper. “This is just typical nastiness by wise guys like [Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard] Ellerbe and Mayweather.”

Nastiness? Sure. Wise guys? Absolutely. The Mayweather camp doesn’t play around. However, to say we have to just take Arum’s word that Pacquiao doesn’t know anything about drugs is absurd. There hasn’t been a reason to believe anything or anyone in sports on this topic in years. PED scandals in baseball, football, cycling, track, swimming and so on aren’t Pacquiao’s fault, but that’s the sporting reality he lives in.

He can’t just pretend fan suspicion isn’t reasonable.

Pacquiao has been a breath of fresh air for boxing and he’s never failed a drug test in his 50-3-2 career. The chance to see a man of similar speed and skill finally challenge the unbeaten Mayweather (40-0) has reenergized the sport.

Which doesn’t mean either fighter is above reproach. The Mayweathers have had no problem voicing their concerns about Pacman’s ability to maintain punching power and punch-taking ability as he has climbed through weight classes (even as Mayweather has made a similar journey).

Regardless, in one of their typically deft maneuvers, they demanded extreme testing standards that left the Pacquiao camp backpedaling and debating an issue they can’t win.

What Mayweather is calling for may be unfair, but is Pacquiao going to give up tens of millions of dollars and a chance to cement his legacy as one of the all-time greatest fighters out of principle?

Is he going to bail knowing that he opens himself up to questions about PEDs because, despite being tough enough to let Miguel Cotto unload on him, he’s scared of a needle?

Floyd Mayweather has cornered him on this one, doing what he does best, making the fight get fought on his terms. The way to stop Mayweather, though, has always been to punch back – hard.

Instead, Manny Pacquiao is going to walk away?

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Bob Arum: Mayweather-Pacquiao Fight 'Dead'

12/23/2009 12:11 PM ET By Lem Satterfield

Top Rank promoter, Bob Arum, said that the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight scheduled for March 13 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas "in my mind, is dead as a door nail," adding that, "we're starting to look, today, for other opponents" for Pacquiao.

At the center of the negotiating impasse is the Mayweather camp's insistence on Olympic-style drug-testing, specifically, in taking blood samples, randomly "up to and including the weigh-in the day before the fight," said Arum.

Pacquiao had agreed to random urinalysis testing at any time, said Arum. But the seven-division champion from the Philippines, believing that giving blood so close to fight time would weaken him, would supply blood only 30 days out from the fight or directly after the fight, Arum said.

"As far as I can see, nothing is going on with the fight. I really believe that this exposes the fact that Mayweather never had any intentions to do the fight," said Arum. "I don't think that I can salvage this fight because Mayweather -- the fighter on the other side -- does not want to fight, he never wanted to fight Manny Pacquiao, and he's afraid to lose."

Arum noted that Pacquiao has fought nearly a dozen times in Las Vegas, including his past six fights -- decisions over Marco Antonio Barrera and Juan Manuel Marquez, as well as knockouts of David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and Cotto.

"He's passed every test that they've given. And if the extensive testing of the kind that is done in Nevada has been good enough for everybody in Nevada for 40 years, I don't see why it should change now," said Arum. "Floyd Mayweather's being coddled by sycophants like [Golden Boy Promotions CEO] Richard Schaefer, who ought to be ashamed of himself for the statements that he's made."

Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 knockouts) earned an unprecedented seventh crown in as many different weight classes when he took Miguel Cotto's WBO welerweight (147 pounds) title with a 12th-round knockout on Nov. 14.

Arum said that Pacquiao could go after an unprecedented eighth crown in as many weight divisions against New York's newly-crowned WBA titlist Yuri Foreman (28-0, eight KOs), or he could fight Mexican great Juan Manuel Marquez (50-5-1, 37 KOs) at 140 pounds, against whom Pacquiao has fought to a disputed draw and earned a disputed decision, respectively.

Another opponent, said Arum, is New York's Paulie Malignaggi (27-3, five KOs), another 140 pounder.

Source: boxing.fanhouse.com

BREAKING NEWS: MAYWEATHER VS. PACQUIAO IN JEOPARDY AS PACQUIAO REFUSES TO COMPLY WITH UNITED STATES ANTI DOPING DRUG TESTING PROCEDURES

PhilBoxing.com
Wed, 23 Dec 2009

LOS ANGELES, CA (December 22, 2009) . . . The mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao is now in jeopardy after Golden Boy Promotions, on behalf of Mayweather Promotions, learned today that Manny Pacquiao is refusing to comply with Olympic style drug testing as outlined and mandated by the United States Anti Doping Agency (USADA) and as requested by Mayweather's management to ensure fair play and sportsmanship by both fighters.

Early today Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, was contacted by Top Rank President Todd duBoef, who informed Schaefer that Pacquiao would not agree to have his blood taken within 30-days of the bout based on the fighter's superstition of testing so close to a fight.

Schaefer commented, "Todd told me that Pacquiao has difficulty with taking blood and doesn't want to do it so close to the fight. He, Pacquiao, would only agree to have blood drawn before the kick-off press conference and after the fight."

Olympic style drug testing involves random sampling of the athlete's blood and urine prior to and after the fight. The USADA procedure includes both blood and urine sampling so that all banned substances, some of which do not show up in urine alone, are tested for thoroughly.

"It is unfortunate to hear this from Manny Pacquiao's representatives, particularly since, as of today, both parties had worked out all other issues related to this fight," said Schaefer. "Team Mayweather is certainly surprised that an elite athlete like Manny Pacquiao would refuse drug testing procedures which Floyd has already agreed to and have been agreed to by many other top athletes such as Lance Armstrong, and Olympians Michael Phelps, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant."

Mayweather, who was informed of Pacquiao's reluctance shortly after Schaefer received word of the impasse, feels Pacquiao has to explain himself immediately or be faced with accusations from the media and the public regarding his own status as a clean and drug free athlete.

"I understand Pacquiao not liking having his blood taken, because frankly I don't know anyone who really does," said Mayweather. "But in a fight of this magnitude, I think it is our responsibility to subject ourselves to sportsmanship at the highest level. I have already agreed to the testing and it is a shame that he is not willing to do the same. It leaves me with great doubt as to the level of fairness I would be facing in the ring that night. I hope that this is either some miscommunication or that Manny will change his mind and step up and allow these tests, which were good enough for all these other great athletes, to be performed by USADA."

Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions said, "We hope that Manny will do the right thing and agree to the testing as it is an egregious act to deny the testing and hence, deny the millions of fans the right to see this amazing fight. We just want to make sure there is a level playing field in a sport that is a man-to-man contest that relies on strength and ability. I still hope this decision is coming from someone in Pacquiao's camp and not Manny himself as it would be a shame that an athlete of his stature and who represents his whole country would not be able to show the public or his fellow athletes that he agrees to the highest standards in sports competition."

Source: PhilBoxing.com

Pac/May - Psychological Warfare - 10 Million Dollar Penalty For Weight?

Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Posted By Avi "Shoefly" Korine 2:35 PM

Fightnews is reporting that Manny Pacquiao wants a ten million dollar penalty per pound over the 147 pound welterweight limit for his March 13 fight with Floyd Mayweather. While the penalty would apply to either fighter who missed weight it would clearly be an attempt to ensure that Mayweather doesn't come in above the agreed upon limit as he did in his fight with Juan Manual Marquez earlier this year.

In that fight Mayweather missed the catchweight limit of 144 pounds and had to pay 600,000 dollars in penalties. While that is an enormous amount of money, it is negligible compared to the guaranteed minimum 25 million both Pacquiao and Mayweather will get for their March fight.

It is extremely unlikely that Mayweather will have trouble making the 147 pound limit, but it is telling that Pacquiao is making such an enormous demand; more than 30 times more severe than the penalty for the Mayweather/Marquez fight. On one hand you could say that Pacquiao is just trying to protect himself from any Mayweather hijinks, but I think the more interesting take on the situation is that it's a measure of vengeance for Mayweather's insistence on Olympic-style drug testing.

Pacquiao had no problems agreeing to the more rigorous drug testing, but one can't help but think he is secretly fuming over the public questioning of the Mayweather camp. Pacquiao is a prideful and outwardly generous individual, and it's not hard to imagine he takes the Mayweather camp's public accusations personally. Mayweather's insistence is unprecedented in boxing history and it must gall the proud champion.

Pacquiao's equally unprecedented desire for such a giant penalty based on weight strikes me as a way of turning the tables and pointing out Mayweather's previous bad behavior. I doubt that Pacquiao is seriously concerned Mayweather will miss weight, but such an exorbitant penalty will serve as a counterbalance to the scrutiny Pacquiao will likely be taking for his drug testing.

For every question Manny will have to answer about drug testing, Mayweather will have to respond to an equally uncomfortable question about his ability to make weight.

It's a savvy move from Manny Pacquiao, and one of the first of what I'm sure will be many more psychological bombs exchanged between the two camps in the build-up to their fight

Source: sportingnews.com

FLOYD MAYWEATHER SR.: "I DEFINITELY WANT PACQUIAO TO GIVE BLOOD!"

By Percy Crawford | December 22, 2009

"Yeah, I definitely want Pacquiao to give blood. How is that going to affect him mentally? You could give blood a day before the fight and it wouldn't affect you, let alone 3 weeks out. Something isn't right man and we're going to make sure everything is copacetic," stated world-class trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr. as he shared his thoughts on the Olympic-style drug testing that both fighters have agreed to undertake leading up to their highly-anticipated showdown. Although Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, said he had no problems whatsoever with the testing, he did admit to having an issue with blood being drawn from his fighter six weeks prior to the fight. According to Roach, that could affect Pacquiao mentally. Mayweather Sr., however, strongly disagrees.

"He didn't even say Manny would be too drained if he gave blood; he said it would affect him mentally, so unless he has something to hide, it shouldn't affect him mentally," he continued. Mayweather also responded to Roach's suggestion that he has no knowledge of performance enhancing drugs due to the fact that he dropped out of high school. "You don't have to finish high school to know about performance enhancing drugs. We train world class athletes every day. Shows you how much Freddie Roach knows," he added.

Naturally, Mayweather feels his knowledge of boxing and fighters is far beyond anything he could learn in high school and the success he's had in the sport is a testament to that. "I went up to the 11th grade and said I had enough; that's it! It's not what I did or didn't finish, it's where I am now and not to brag, because I am very blessed, but I have more money now than the teachers that taught me in high school, so what is Roach talking," Mayweather stated. He also found some of Roach's recent threats regarding his brother, Roger Mayweather, to be comical. "I see where he said he would kick Roger ass," he laughed. "Roach is lucky that Pacquiao worked out because other than that, what fighter has he made a champion that hadn't already had success?"

Source: fighthype.com

With Pacquiao on the way out, "Who's got next?!"

Indianapolis Fight Sports Examiner | Dennis "dSource" Guillermo

Unless he loses to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and/or a rematch clause is in his contract, his proposed bout against "Money" on March 13 may very well be Manny Pacquiao's last fight. It may be too premature but it's fair for any fan to speculate and with Pacquiao himself expressing the desire to hang the gloves up after one last fight, one has to wonder the aftermath.

Lets say Pacquiao beats Mayweather convincingly by KO and decides to ride into the sunset as one of the greatest ever, who will take over boxing's top spot? Also, what becomes of Philippine boxing, a franchise Pacquiao singlehandedly built up?

In the words of hoopheads and basketball's blacktops, "Who's got next?!"

Losing to Pacquiao will definitely almost disqualify Mayweather to even contend for boxing's top spot. Much of his mystique is built on his undefeated record and his antics outside the ring. Despite being one of the sweetest scientist the sport has ever seen, his fights have failed to captivate fans the way Pacquiao's fights have. So is anybody really fit to carry boxing's mantle after Pacquiao leaves?

Lets run through a quick-list. You got Sugar "Shane" Mosley who is pretty much on his last leg and is set to retire soon, so forget about making him the face of boxing. Same goes with Bernard Hopkins and the rest of the older fighters out there like Juan Manuel Marquez. There's a lot of promise with the younger core though and allow me to throw Andre Ward's name in the mix. He still has a lot to prove, but I think he has the charisma and skill to crossover into being one of the marquee names of the sport. Some other promising youngins although on the rebound trail are Victor Ortiz, Kelly Pavlik and you can say Paul Williams after a close call with Sergio Martinez a couple of weeks ago. With that said, I don't see anybody who can take over Pacquiao instantly the way he took over from De la Hoya and wowed boxing fans almost dispatching The Golden Boy's memory quickly. Perhaps, 2010 will not only be the year when the fight of this era takes place, it also begins the search for next era's boxing superstar.

And what happens to Philippine boxing? The franchise that Pacquiao himself singlehandedly built and made the world notice. Who's going to take over Pacquiao's spot? Luckily, they might not have to look too far. Just around the corner, Ring Magazine's #6 best Pound for Pound fighter in the world Nonito Donaire Jr. is chomping at the bit for his turn to put his country on his back. Now, don't get me wrong, there will never be another Manny Pacquiao, just like there will never be another Michael Jordan, but Donaire provides promise for a bright future ahead the way rising stars such as Kobe Bryant and Grant Hill did when Jordan left the game. Donaire's talent is on swine flu- it's sick! He can counter, he can move his feet, he can bang and also has knockout power for his division. The only problem is, how compelling can he really be with the lack of marquee names in his division? And as it is, his promoter Bob Arum may be sleeping on his career just a tad bit. That might change though when Pacquiao leaves.

One thing is certain, Philippine boxing will never have a shortage for talent. You have Rodel Mayol, Marvin Sonsona, AJ Banal, Milan Melindo, Donnie Nietes and recently crowned WBO Interim light flyweight champ Johnriel Casimero among a long list of world class fighters. As for the fans, they're here to stay as well. It's not like they ever left, since the country has followed boxing for as long as I can remember. It's no accident why there's so many Filipino fighters ready and capable to fight and win on US soil- they've been there, nobody just paid them any mind in the past. Pacquiao simply focused the spotlight on them and now they're getting opportunities they only wished they did a decade ago.

Plus, it's the internet age. All these fans that have been drawn in by Pacquiao will remain fans even at a casual level since access to the sport ins't as hard as it used to be. The reason why boxing went down is because they stopped televising the big fights on network TV and even on newspapers and network news like ESPN. Thanks to the internet, the word is being spread once again. If only boxing can fully embrace this new media and realize the true value of internet media and perhaps start catering to a younger crowd as well, then the sport will flourish once again. It'll be easier for Filipino boxing fans to keep tabs with boxing since you can see fights through streams online and discuss it on forums on top of getting all the news online. The fans have always been there, so to say they will leave with Pacquiao, is damn straight ignorant.

Source: Examiner.com

Can Freddie Roach cancel if Mayweather comes in over?

Pittsburgh Fight Sports Examiner | Scott Heritage

Freddie Roach is a man who always has a lot on his mind, and leading up to the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight this has been especially true. There are sparring partners to arrange, training sessions with the various fighters he trains and also upcoming legal trouble with the reporter he shoved.

One of the biggest worries on Roach's mind though is probably what will happen if Floyd Mayweather comes in over weight for his fight with Roach's fighter Manny Pacquiao.

Roach has said several times in the past the he will not let the fight go ahead if the weight isn't met, and doesn't want any 'wiggle room' for Mayweather to come in over weight and be penalized a small amount of money. (Not small to you and me, but small in terms of a $40 million dollar pay day)

The real question though is whether Roach has the influence and power to actually make good on his threats if the unthinkable happens. Supposing Floyd does come in over and can't cut the remaining weight in time on the day of the weigh in, will the fight still go ahead?

The answer is probably yes, despite what Roach thinks about it. Pacquiao himself will have the final say, but won't be eager to waste months of training and build up. Not to mention he is a fight all comers kind of champion, and won't be intimidated by a few extra pounds, even if they could make the difference between a win and a loss. As much as he obviously respects Roach, pressure from others in his team as well as from Top Rank will encourage Pac-man to take the fight anyway.

Not to mention that Manny wont want to lose a $40 million pay day with all the expenses he has with his political campaign, large team and family and friends he helps out.

As things stand at the moment, the remaining point to be agreed upon for the contract is the weight. Mayweather and his team want some leeway over the 147lb welterweight limit. Pacquiao and Roach want the limit to be strictly enforced, and aren't willing to let Mayweather come in over and simply have to pay Pacquiao for an unfair advantage.

Mayweather himself is remaining quiet about this sticking point in the contract, but other than an advantage there doesn't seem to be any other reason for wanting the stipulation. It isn't as if Mayweather, who trains harder than most boxers out there will have trouble making 147lbs if he really wants to. Floyd is a great fighter and knows the boxing game inside out, and these kinds of things are often used in contract negotiations. In most fights these kinds of things aren't ever heard about because the contracts are usually completed quickly and the fights aren't as prestigious.

Of course the truth of the matter is that Roach should have the power to veto if the conditions of the contract aren't met. After all Roach is only looking out for the best interests of his fighter and isn't worried about the money or promoters. He only wants what's best for Manny, and if he thinks that calling off the fight is the best thing to do for both of them, then that's what he will try to to.

The worry is that he might not have enough influence over Manny if everyone else is calling for the fight to go ahead despite whatever Floyd might do. If the fight were smaller or there were less money at stake then this wouldn't be an issue, and Roach would be the first man satisfied with everything for the fight to go ahead.

This whole issue might well just be a ploy on the part of the Mayweather's to get other concessions added to the fight contract. They might want Mayweather to be the first name on the posters and promotional material. Similarly they might already have used the weight issue to choose where the fight takes place. Either way the ball probably wont be in Roach's court when the weigh in takes place, which is a worry he will have to deal with when and if it happens.

Source: Examiner.com

Why Golden Boy Promotions Wanted Pacquiao-Mayweather In Los Angeles?

By Brent Matteo Alderson

Just this past weekend at the Timothy Bradley-Lamont Peterson, Pacquiao’s cutman, Miguel Diaz, commented, “Pacquiao doesn’t want to fight in Los Angeles and Mayweather doesn’t want to fight in Texas so we’ll see what happens.” And according to the most recent reports, it seem like the fight is going to land in Las Vegas, which makes sense since it is the site preferred by both fighters.

Why would Pacquiao and Mayweather have wanted to fight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles anyway? Yes the company, AEG, which owns the facility, offered a lucrative twenty million dollar site fee, but you have to look at the particulars of that offer to understand that the only people that would have benefited from the mega-bout taking place at the Staples Center are Golden Boy Promotions and AEG.

First off, Golden Boy Promotions has worked with AEG for a number of years and in the Spring of 2008 the world-wide facilities company bought share in De La Hoya’s promotional firm and the alliance has proved valuable to De La Hoya’s firm which regularly puts on shows at Club Nokia, another one of the company’s sites directly across from the Staple Center. They also staged Mosley-Margarito as well as Victor Ortiz’s war with Maidana this past June at Staples and De La Hoya fought Steve Forbes at the Home Depot Center, another one of company’s properties.

Without question the partnership has been more beneficial to De La Hoya’s firm because like HBO, AEG entered into the agreement, thinking that the company would be involved in major cross over promotions involving boxing’s number one superstar; De La Hoya himself.

Unfortunately for HBO and AEG, the Golden Boy’s involvement in the sport as a participant was unceremoniously cut short when he was dominated by Manny Pacquiao in December of 2008.

At the time of Golden Boy Promotion’s agreements with both HBO and AEG, Oscar was the sport’s only true cross over star and undoubtedly, both companies entered in to those lengthy agreements anticipating their future involvement in multi-million dollar mega-events.

The executives of both companies were aware that Oscar was at the end of his career, but besides his fight Bernard Hopkins in the fall of 2004, De La Hoya had never been dominated in the ring so the thinking was that he was going to beat Pacquiao, then have a summer of 2009 super fight with Mayweather. Then depending on the outcome, one or two more farewell fights. That forecast would have had De La Hoya fighting up until around the same time that Golden Boy Promotion’s contract with HBO expires.

Trust me, HBO didn’t give Golden Boy Promotions a slew of guaranteed dates to be funded by Time Warner because they like him. They liked the recognition and revenue that his bouts brought to the network.

This is a star driven multimedia society and HBO executive Ross Greenburg wanted the sport’s biggest star as did AEG.

People might think that major companies such as AEG and HBO wouldn’t have signed long term agreements with Golden Boy Promotions just to be involved with the final stage of Oscar’s career, but that’s the reality of it.

In the early nineties, Showtime, which is owned by Viacom signed a long term promotional agreement with Don King that made him the network’s sole promoter. Thus from 1991 until 1999 when Showtime distributed the first fight between Paulie Ayala and Johnny Tapia, King was Showtime’s only boxing promoter and the company was forced to buy whatever fights he provided. Just like HBO did with Golden Boy Promotions, Showtime conceded to these demands because King provided them with Mike Tyson; the sport’s biggest star.

So now Golden Boy Promotions has contracts with two of the sports-world’s power brokers in AEG and HBO and can’t really provide the services that the two companies expected to receive. Yes Golden Boy has staked a claim in the sport as one of its preeminent promoters, but at this point in time they don’t have any stars that can transcend the sport and generate the type of media attention and revenue that AEG and HBO anticipated when they entered into their agreements with Golden Boy.

Everybody can see the writing on the wall. Since Oscar’s retirement HBO has approached negotiations with Golden Boy Promotions from a different plateau and Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer has already expressed his frustrations about the recent lack of preferential treatment and complained about HBO not providing Shane Mosley or Bernard Hopkins with significant fights in a timely manner, especially since they were coming off two of the biggest wins of their respective careers. Now that De La Hoya is no longer a revue generating giant, HBO is going to treat Golden Boy Promotions accordingly and the Time Warmer owned company is going to ride out this contract with Golden Boy Promotions and then the promotional firm is going have to compete for dates just like everybody else because they won’t be able to use Oscar’s multi-million dollar pay per view extravaganzas as a leveraging tool.

I don’t know the the Quid Pro Quo specifics of the deal between AEG and Golden Boy Promotions, but you have to think that AEG is also dissatisfied with the situation. They signed on to be to be involved with a mega-star in a mega events and that’s not what they are getting.

That’s why Richard Schaefer was intent on using his position as a liaison between Top Rank and Floyd Mayweather to bring Pacquiao-Mayweather to Staples Center, so that he could provide AEG with the services that Gold Boy Promotions was supposed to deliver; mega-events with crossover appeal.

And AEG even stepped up and did their part and offered a 20 million dollar site fee, which is 7.5 million dollars more than the all time site fee record set by Lennox Lewis-Mike Tyson in 2002. Still a site fee is supposed to contribute to the total fight revenue which will directly contribute to the fighters’ purses, but because there is income tax in California, Pacquiao and Mayweather would have to pay 3.5 to 7 million dollars apiece in taxes. As a result you might as well deduct about ten million from AEG’s offer since that’s the amount that will be deducted from the Pacquiao and Mayweather. Why should Mayweather and Pacquiao lose significant personal income for the benefit of Golden Boy Promotions and AEG? They wouldn’t and that’s why representatives of both camps vocally rejected the Staples center as the site of the fight.

Source: fightfannation.com

No denying Freddie Roach is the very best

By Kevin Iole

Bum Phillips, the longtime former Houston Oilers coach and the father of Dallas Cowboys coach Wade Phillips, once in an interview was trying to express why he thought then-Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula was so great.

“He can take his’un and beat your’un and he can take your’un and beat his’un,” Phillips said in his own inimitable style.

Phillips’ logic came to mind when thinking about Freddie Roach, the Yahoo! Sports 2009 Trainer of the Year.

Roach has become so good these days that if he’s involved in a fight, the best way to pick a winner is to see which side he’s on.

Roach is clearly the best trainer in boxing today. That goes without question. But Roach at least has to be considered in the conversation with his mentor, the late great Eddie Futch, as the finest trainer ever.

Futch was so good that elite fighters were begging him to train them even when he was in his 80s.

“Look at the fighters who spent any amount of time with him and look at how much better they became and how much they accomplished,” Roach said of Futch, who did some of his finest work in his late 70s and early 80s harnessing Riddick Bowe’s talents and leading him to the undisputed heavyweight championship.

A trainer has four main responsibilities: He must get his fighters into shape, he must improve their technique, he must be able to motivate them and he must be able to create a game plan and adjust as necessary.

Manny Pacquiao, the pound-for-pound king of boxing who will meet Floyd Mayweather Jr. on March 13, likely at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, is Roach’s greatest work.

Pacquiao was a fast, fit athlete when he met Roach in 2001, but he was a one-handed fighter with Grade C technique and little defense. Roach’s work with Pacquiao is a blueprint for other trainers. He took the skills Pacquiao had and made him better through relentless work in the gym.

He realized Pacquiao couldn’t win at the elite level without having a right hand that was at least close to as good as his left. When Pacquiao lost to Erik Morales in 2005 in the first of what would turn out to be their three fights, Roach knew the lack of a quality right was going to keep Pacquiao from becoming a superstar.

Roach spent hours with Pacquiao in the gym, showing him the footwork, instructing him on how to shift his weight to put the maximum power behind his hook.

When Pacquiao met Morales for the third and final time, 20 months after their first meeting, Morales wisely attempted to step to his left, out of range of Pacquiao’s left.

This time, however, he was met with a lethal series of right hands. Roach’s countless hours of drilling had made Pacquiao a two-handed fighter and gave him the final tool he needed to be considered among the world’s elite.

Pacquiao stopped Morales in the third round that night, forcing the proud Mexican to quit, largely on the strength of his right.

Roach says that’s a defining moment in Pacquiao’s career, but defers any credit.

“I recognized he needed to add a right hand,” Roach said. “But anybody who has walked into a gym more than once would have been able to tell him that. It was up to Manny. Manny’s such a great athlete and he’s so dedicated, he listened to what I said and he went out and made the change on his own. That’s a Manny Pacquiao thing, not a me thing.”

Pacquiao, though, doesn’t refer to Roach as his “Master” for no reason. He’s well aware of Roach’s impact upon his career.

But Roach’s impact doesn’t just begin and end with Pacquiao. Like Futch, who trained Roach during his boxing career, Roach has trained a wide variety of fighters with different styles and abilities.

The vast majority of them made the most improvement and fought better when they worked with Roach than they did with anyone else.

One of the problems with boxing today is that there are not a large number of quality trainers who can teach the game and develop prospects.

Roach is among the few who can help a veteran world champion take the final steps toward greatness while also helping to develop a prospect into a championship contender.

He’s become the Don Shula of modern-day boxing. He’ll take his’un and beat your’un and he could take your’un and beat his’un.

He’s that great. He’s been named Trainer of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America three times (2003, 2006 and 2008) and is a cinch to win it again in 2009. The BWAA refers to its award as the Futch-Condon Award.

It might be time to rename it the Futch-Roach Award.

Roach’s evolution as the greatest trainer of his time is yet another example of Futch’s brilliance. He not only developed great fighters, but he also produced great trainers.

When Roach develops assistants, who accomplish as much or more than he has, he then might be regarded in the same conversation with Futch.

Clearly, though, he’s lapped the field of active trainers today.

He’s the best and there’s no one else close.

Source: Yahoo! Sports

Pacquiao’s trainer sued by friend of boxer

By WIRE SERVICES

Story Published: Dec 21, 2009 at 2:14 PM PST

Story Updated: Dec 21, 2009 at 3:42 PM PST

A friend of Manny Pacquiao, who is suing the boxer’s trainer/coach for allegedly punching him from behind, wants a judge to keep out any evidence during trial of any alleged infidelity by the plaintiff.

Gregorio Asuncion along with his wife, Allyson, sued Freddie Roach and his Wild Card Gym Boxing Club in Los Angeles Superior Court in November 2008.

The suit’s allegations include assault, battery, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, negligence, premises liability and loss of consortium.

Roach — denying Asuncion’s claim that he hit him in the back of the neck — maintains in his deposition that he put his hands “softly” on the plaintiff’s shoulders, calling it a “friendly gesture.”

A final status conference is set for Jan. 6, when Judge Kenneth Freeman is scheduled to hear several pretrial motions. Among them is a bid by Asuncion’s lawyer, Robert H. McNeill, to keep out any allegations that his client broke any of his marital vows.

“Specifically, [the Asuncions] anticipate that [Roach] will attempt to introduce evidence that ... Asuncion was involved in an extramarital affair and engaged in sexual relations with a prostitute at a motel in Hollywood,” McNeill’s court papers state.

During a deposition last August, Asuncion denied being unfaithful to his wife, according to McNeill’s court papers. In any event, McNeill argues, the allegations are not relevant to Asuncion’s case, which deals with an alleged assault.

But Roach’s lawyers maintain the subject is fair game and that they should be allowed to present related evidence to a jury. They say it is relevant to the Asuncions’ claim that their sexual intimacy has decreased as a result of the alleged injury.

“Based on [Asuncion’s] loss of consortium claim ... the probative value of ... Asuncion’s extramarital affairs and sexual relations with prostitutes is very high and outweighs any prejudice to [the couple],” the Roach court papers state.

Both sides also are at odds over whether some witnesses should be able to testify that they believe Asuncion was faking his injuries.

Meanwhile, Roach’s lawyers want to bar evidence of any prior violent conduct by their client, saying it would be prejudicial to his case.

But McNeill wants the information about Roach’s alleged hotheaded past to be allowed. The lawyer’s court papers state that Roach admitted he paid money to settle a man’s claims that the trainer assaulted him at a Kinko’s store about five years ago.

McNeill also argues that another of his clients, writer Alex Pantinos Vidal, alleges in a separate lawsuit that Roach assaulted and battered him in Las Vegas in July 2008 and threatened to kill him if he wrote another story about the trainer.

The plaintiffs’ complaint alleges Gregorio Asuncion had just picked up Pacquiao and dropped him off at the Wild Card Gym in Hollywood on Oct. 20, 2008, when Roach and a number of his associates “intentionally, willfully, wantonly and maliciously threatened to harm him.”

“Because of [Roach’s] skill as a boxer and his occupation as a boxing trainer, a reasonable person in [Asuncion’s] situation would have been offended by the threat of violence by Roach,” the complaint states.

Roach allegedly asked the 52-year-old Asuncion to get out of the gym because he did not want too many people inside. When Asuncion was about to leave, Roach allegedly hit him at the back of the neck, causing him to fall face first on the floor.

Asuncion was treated at Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital for a neck sprain and a contusion to the head, according to his court papers. He is known as “Sheriff” within Pacquiao’s circles because he has worked for more than 25 years with the Sheriff’s Department.

Source: wavenewspapers.com

Dispelling a Mayweather Myth

December 21st, 2009 | by Pleas Kavanaugh

The hotly anticipated battle between undefeated American phenom Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Filipino legend Manny Pacquiao is a fight of unparalleled stature, featuring two stylistically opposed combatants who have incited an unprecedented cascade of commentary and criticism, from frenzied fans and experts alike, regarding every aspect of the fight; from potentially major stumbling blocks, such as who is most deserving of the lion’s share of the purse, to trivialities like which name should be read first on the marquee.

Among these many rather curious opinions floats the suggestion that while Floyd may technically defeat his Asian counterpart if he chooses to “run” for the duration of the fight, the only way he can achieve a “moral” victory is to concede to the proverbial backyard brawl and go, quite uncharacteristically, toe to toe or blow for blow. Rest assured, neither Floyd nor any other fighter on Earth, for that matter, care nearly as much for moral victories as they do literal ones. But personal preference aside, the suggestion that one style trumps another by the mere whim of the crowd leaves too much to be desired from a purest standpoint to go unaddressed and, furthermore, suggests a gaping miseducation of the nature of the world’s oldest and greatest game.

For the record, whether or not Mayweather will attempt to employ his elite ring generalship and potshot his way to an easy decision or elect to remain inside and counterpunch off that patented Michigan shoulder roll will likely remain a mystery until fight night. But the reality is that Team Mayweather’s fight strategy is its own prerogative. What might be addressed here is the recent characterization of Floyd Mayweather Jr. as a runner. While interpretation should always remain a most subjective thing, cold hard statistics have an uncanny propensity to speak for themselves.

In a welterweight title bout versus Carlos Baldomir, a fight often touted by critics as an example of Floyd Mayweather’s propensity to “run,” the Grand Rapids native landed some 43% of his total punches, allowing his opponent a dismal 12%. He landed 120 more punches than Baldomir, while throwing 212 less. Needless to say, Mayweather pitched a one-sided shutout that was more clinic than contest, even as both commentators and crowd alike offered stern criticism of his unwillingness to “mix it up.”

Versus Zab Judah, perhaps Mayweather’s first opponent of near equal athleticism, Floyd was able to outland his opponent more than 2 to 1 on his way to an easy decision victory.

In his welterweight match with Juan Manuel Marquez, another fighter celebrated for his defensive prowess and economical punching, Mayweather landed some 59% of total punches while permitting Marquez to land only 12%.

These statistics are not indicative of a man more inclined to evade than engage, but describe a pugilist who has incorporated the most fundamental understanding of the sweet science into his form inside the ring. In doing so, he is perhaps doomed to suffer the same fate as other greats to have demonstrated such a profound knowledge of ring generalship and defense.

To the bloodthirsty fans chagrin, masters of elusion often mute the drama of a good brawl. When one expects brutality, precision bewilders. And the technician’s unwillingness to conform to expectation gets mistaken for fear when it is actually good old fashioned intelligence which has ruled the day. When the fight is done and the lust for blood remains unquenched, the disgruntled fan slumps out of the arena perhaps feeling a bit tricked.

Amongst a fan base of knockout junkies where a fundamentally bankrupt Mike Tyson was able to flourish nearly a decade past his prime in the desperate hope of bloody carnage on fight night, masters like Pernell Whitaker and Roy Jones Jr. were often chided by causal fans for their ability to go about their work in the ring in an almost casual fashion; an ability facilitated expressly by defensive prowess. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the most elusive and economical fighter in the world and thus, a reinterpretation of the evidence offers perhaps the slightest of adjustments when the contemporary casual boxing fan just might have lost his way.

While there are infinite ways in which a pugilist’s objective can and might be accomplished, there has been a general progression in the understanding of the fundamental nature and applications of the sweet science if not since the days of Apollonius and Ulysses, then undoubtedly since the Marquess of Queensberry. In all that time, from those days until this, the singular uncontested resolution of the game is:

Boxing is the art of hitting and not getting hit.

Whether that objective is accomplished through the use of clean punching, effective aggression, ring generalship or defense or any combination therein is to be determined entirely by a fighter’s own estimation of his mental, emotional and physical capacity as a human being.

There is nothing else.

Source: la.fighthype.com

Why Pacquiao Has Gained The Mental Edge On Floyd

Published by Scoop Malinowski on December 21st, 2009

Vitali Klitschko likes to say that the psychological aspect of a boxing duel starts long before the bell rings to start the first round. Don’t doubt the wisdom of Dr. Iron Fist for a second. If he says that in most major fights, one fighter often has a psychological advantage (to some degree) over the other, it must be true.

Applying this Vitali theory to Pacquiao vs. Mayweather, I believe Pacquiao holds a distinct and considerable psychological advantage right now. Allow me to explain and take you through some of the key exchanges that have created this important imbalance.

One of the first moves occured unexpectedly at the Mayweather-Marquez New York press conference. Leonard Ellerbe tapped me on the shoulder and wanted to explain some things to me one on one. Ellerbe hoped to try to straighten me out, as one of Floyd’s most ardent critics. A gentleman and classy man at all times, unlike his boss, Ellerbe told me, among other things, that Floyd would “never ever” fight Pacquiao for 50-50. I will never forget how vehemently he stressed the “never” and “ever,” which signaled to me right then and there that no matter how much money was involved, they were not interested in Pacquiao. In other words, they already knew how dangerously risky Pac was to Floyd and they were going to use the 50-50 as their out from the fight.
This was even before Cotto was annihilated by Pacquiao. Now I know it’s the truth that Floyd avoided Cotto in 2008 – Ellerbe said Cotto wasn’t a big enough name and his numbers weren’t big enough. But no matter what they say now or then, you just know Floyd had to be freaked out when he saw what Pac unleashed on Cotto.

Don’t forget, Floyd’s initial stance after Cotto was destroyed by Pac was expressed in that BBC interview (laying groundwork for Matthew Hatton London fight?) where Floyd floated all the excuses and reasons of why he didn’t have to fight Pac (Pac lost twice by KO, he beat Marquez more decisively than Pac did, He beat Oscar and Hatton first.) While many Floyd defenders assumed he was just trying to gain leverage for negotiations, this assumption is incorrect. Because Floyd came down from the 60-40 to 50-50 without much dickering. Floyd revealed at this time that he really wasn’t up for Pacquiao, like you would have expected him to be if he were so assured of victory. To the contrary, he was emitting negative vibes about taking the superfight.

Then Floyd made many more statements which indicated more negativity to the idea of fighting Pac in potentially the biggest fight of all time, though Ellerbe was running around saying it would be an easy fight for Floyd. If it was an easy win for Floyd, then why did Floyd say: It was a no win situation for him; He would flip-flop on his previous duck of Mosley and fight Mosley next if Mosley beats Berto (which would be a smaller money fight than Pac); He wanted to fight Matthew Hatton next in England (which is also a much less lucrative fight than Pac); He implied that Pac must be on some kind of performance enhancers. If it’s an easy fight, why would Floyd be trying to discredit Pac’s spectacularly explosive and sensationally exciting recent wins?

If Floyd were so confident, as you would expect the self-proclaimed greatest fighter ever to be, he should not be worried about Pacquiao in any way, after all, it’s going to be an easy fight. Floyd should not have to bother with trying to downplay Pac’s finest performances, because Pac is just a good little fighter, right? And Floyd is the best fighter ever, right?

Bluffs and smokescreens are 90% of boxing, says Michaell Bentt.

I believe Floyd fully knows Pacquiao is his worst nightmare and is only going to agree to the fight (let’s hope) on March 13 because he is totally cornered and has no way to escape this time. Pressure from HBO, the media, fans, and the amount of money involved are forcing Floyd to take the fight he really would rather, as Ellerbe told me this past summer, “never, ever” accept for 50-50.

This time Floyd can’t fake retire or go to MMA or WWE, he has to finally do something he has never ever done – something he has avoided his entire career – FIGHT THE VERY BEST.
Mike Tyson says a scared fighter is a dangerous fighter. And if Floyd decides to go through with it (we know Pac will for sure), Floyd will be fighting scared. Of course not with his knees knocking-frightened, but very defensive-oriented and with adrenaline. Floyd will be acutely sharp and more pumped up than ever to avoid getting slaughtered by Pacquiao, who he knows has extraordinary firepower in his fists. Floyd knows Manny is a man of magic and will have to be at his best.

But in all of these superfights I’ve been fortunate enough to cover and study, whenever one man has clearly shown signs of not really wanting the fight as much as the other, the less enthusiastic and less confident warrior always loses. Always. And I can think of not one exception.

Some examples: Cotto taking the extra month longer to finally sign the contract than Margarito. Holyfield delaying unification with Lennox Lewis for over a year, then demanding $15 million. Then when that figure was agreed to, Holyfield suddenly and shockingly raised his bluff demand to $20 million! (Lewis began calling Holyfield “Evader.”) The Byrd-Wladimir Klitschko rematch which was delayed an extra 12 months by Byrd. Roy Jones with the protection of HBO, tried to avoid the Tarver rematch with HBO offering a doubleheader of Jones-Johnson & Tarver-Gonzalez, which Tarver vociferously argued against, until Jones finally accepted the rematch and was later KOed in the second round.

I am quite sure the mental edge is held firmly by Pacquiao now. And there have been other minute clues from Floyd which further support this judgement: Floyd’s own father advised his son to avoid Pacquiao. Floyd referred to his reign of dominance on “Joe Buck Live” in the past tense. Floyd also said on that show that “like a police officer, one shot could end” a boxer’s career. Floyd called Pacquiao a “one dimensional” and “a good little fighter,” but if that’s all Pacquiao is, then why all the hesitation and reluctance to close the deal?

And last but not least, there is the historical quotation which perfectly applies to this fight: “The exalted shall be humbled, and the humbled shall be exalted.”

There’s no question, in my view, Manny Pacquiao has gained the vitally important psychological advantage over Floyd Mayweather. And as Angelo Dundee once said, Once you win the psychological fight, the physical fight becomes much easier to win.”

Scoop’s book “Heavyweight Armageddon: The Tyson-Lewis Championship Battle” was called “A smashing success,” by Emanuel Steward, “One of the two best boxing books I ever read.”

Source: boxinginsider.com