By J. Michael Falgoust, USA TODAY
A stoppage already has been scored between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather without a single punch being thrown.
Rather than a spectacular ending to the most anticipated bout of 2010, the knockout occurred through verbal jabs at the negotiation table.
Thursday, Bob Arum of Top Rank which represents Pacquiao, called a halt to the March 13 welterweight megafight at MGM Grand in Las Vegas. He first said "the fight is off" to USA TODAY on Tuesday night but hoped to still settle the dispute by Thursday.
Instead, Arum said, Pacquiao likely will meet Paulie Malignaggi on that date at a site to be determined on pay-per-view. Malignaggi is promoted by Lou DiBella's DiBella Entertainment, who is expected to respond after the holidays.
Malignaggi (27-3, 5 KOs), a junior welterweight (140) for most his career, defeated Juan Diaz earlier this month. The Brooklyn native went the distance with Miguel Cotto in a 2006 slugfest and lost to former 140-pound king Ricky Hatton last year. His other loss was a disputed one to Diaz earlier this year.
At issue with Mayweather: Olympic-style drug testing. Pacquiao agreed to three blood tests from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which is above what's required by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Mayweather and his representatives with Golden Boy Promotions, however, insisted on random testing.
"It would be reasonable to have some organization to perform all the tests on both fighters. We're not against testing. We just don't want testing right up against the fight," Arum said. "That's crazy. That doesn't make sense. Manny is Filipino. He comes from a different country where you put in writing what you do or won't do."
Pacquiao agreed to blood testing in January, a month before the bout and immediately after. The Nevada commission only analyzes urine.
Although negotiations began well, according to Arum, everything went south fast in what was projected to be the highest grossing fight of all time at the gate and pay-per-view. Both fighters would have earned $25 million each in base salary and a percentage of PPV revenues. The press tour was supposed to begin in early January in New York and Los Angeles.
Arum also said Pacquiao is interested in facing Shane Mosley, also promoted by Golden Boy, if he wins his Jan. 30 bout with Andre Berto. Regardless of belts, a bout with Mosley would be for the undisputed welterweight championship in terms of lineage. Pacquiao won a share of the crown by knocking out Cotto in November. Mosley won a share by knocking out Antonio Margarito 11 months ago.
"Manny would absolutely love to fight Mosley," Arum said. "Shane is a super, super young man. We're not going to start all this crazy nonsense with drug testing given Shane's background with that unfortunate incident."
Mosley was linked to Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative after its founder Victor Conte said the former No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter knowingly took designer steroids in 2003.
While Arum left the door open for revisiting a bout with Mayweather in the fall, he'll be the chief negotiator. Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy who negotiated on Mayweather's behalf, maintained that Arum's bitterness towards Mayweather was the issue and that Arum should've sent another Top Rank official to work out a deal in his place.
Arum, who spoke glowingly of Schaefer as recently as a month ago, responded "he shouldn't be in negotiations either because Manny Pacquiao can't stand him. … I did say good things about him — before he sold his soul to Mayweather."
Arum, who promoted Mayweather for most of his career beginning in 1996 but had an acromonious split, is content with never facing the former welterweight champion if necessary.
"Life goes on. We're not going to let Manny get pushed around by Floyd. Floyd wants to play his games, let him play," Arum said. "This all has to do with Mayweather being Mayweather. He never wanted to fight Manny. He wanted a way out.
"Well, he's got his way out. Goodbye."
Source: usatoday.com
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