By GREG BISHOP, The New York Times
Manny Pacquiao wants to fight on March 13 because of his political commitments in the Philippines later next year. But as the impasse in negotiations with Floyd Mayweather Jr. continued this week, Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, began looking elsewhere for the next opponent.
Arum extended an offer for the date to Paul Malignaggi, a former junior welterweight champion from Brooklyn. As of Thursday evening, Arum had not heard back but expected a phone call after the weekend, when he returns from a vacation in Mexico.
The offer does not preclude a resumption of negotiations between the Mayweather and Pacquiao camps. Nor does it mean the fight will not take place as originally planned. But it does create another obstacle in a tense atmosphere, whether the new offer is simply posturing or not.
The matter in dispute is blood testing — when the tests would be conducted and by whom. Pacquiao and Mayweather agreed on everything else.
Mayweather’s camp is demanding Olympic-style testing, as outlined and performed by the United States Anti-Doping Agency. Pacquiao’s camp wants parameters for the testing, which Usada officials said would compromise the process. Neither side has budged, despite overtures from outside influences like HBO.
Arum said Pacquiao would be open to compromises, like not getting blood drawn closer than 30 days before the fight or allowing for more blood tests than the three he had agreed to.
Representatives for Mayweather could not be reached for comment, but they and Usada officials had said that Usada’s testing procedures were reasonable, noninvasive and the most thorough available for the fight.
Source: nytimes.com
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