By Abac Cordero, The Philippine Star.
MANILA, Philippines - The Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather Jr. Showdown, billed as the fight the world wants to see, will remain a dream.
Top rank promoter Bob Arum yesterday said the fight, set on March 13 at MGM Grand, is off following the two camps' dispute on the Olympic-style drug testing.
"The plug is pulled. The fight is off as far as we're concerned," said Arum who, however, said Pacquiao could start looking for a new opponent.
"Mayweather proves that he's a coward and he's looking for a way out of the fight. The Nevada commission has been doing drug testing for the last 40 years," said Arum.
"Takot talaga sa akin. (He's really scared of me), "was Pacquiao's immediate reaction after negotiations for the blockbuster fight came to a screeching halt.
Mayweather was demanding an Olympic-style random drug testing for him and Pacquiao in the weeks leading to the fight. It was a demand that Pacquiao found too stiff.
Pacquiao said he's willing to undergo blood testing on the first week of January, when the fight is officially announced, but not in the final days before the match.
His trainer, Freddie Roach, said they could do another blood test right after the fight, but certainly not in the days leading to the fight, which could gross over $ 100 million.
Pacquiao said drawing blood so close to the fight will make him weak, but said he has no problem with urine tests. Experts said there's not much of a difference between both tests.
"Pinapakita niya na naduduwag talaga siya sa akin. (He's just showing that he's scared of me), "said Pacquiao, who has yet to receive any official word that the fight is indeed off.
Pacquiao's lawyer, Franklin Gacal, said if everything falls off, Pacquiao has a couple of options.
"One, he can take a fight with either Juan Manuel Marquez or Yuri Foreman, whoever is available, and two, he can take a break, and fight after the May 2010 elections," said Gacal.
Pacquiao is seeking a congressional seat in his hometown in Sarangani, and wouldn't actually mind losing the Mayweather fight as long as he wins the elections.
"If he decides to skip the March 13 date and take care of the elections, the next fight he can look at is around October. Besides, before both camps said yes to do the fight, he already said he wanted to take a break and. just fight after the elections, "Gacal added.
The lawyer from Gen. Santos City, who is also seeking a congressional seat in May, said what's happening right now could all be part of the big dance and could lead to fresh negotiations.
"To appease Mayweather, we agreed they could do urine analysis anytime they wanted. But Manny doesn't want them to draw his blood when he's in training because it weakens him," Arum told USA Today.
His counterpart, Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy, said there's nothing absurd with taking blood tests even if it falls on the eve of the fight, except that Pacquiao feels weak doing it.
Mayweather agrees.
"I understand Pacquiao not liking having his blood taken, because frankly I don't know anyone who really does," Mayweather said. "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, "Mayweather was quoted as saying.
It's a form of harassment, according to Arum.
"All they're doing is harassing Pacquiao. I'm not going to allow it to happen. We're willing to do urine analysis at random even though we don't have to do it under Nevada rules. ... I know. deep down Mayweather doesn't want the fight. He can take a walk, "he said.
If Mayweather takes a walk, he could end up fighting Matthew Hatton early next year, and with $ 20 million or $ 30 million less in his bank account.
Source:. philstar.com.
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