By Steve Lillis, Daily Star
BOXING’S richest ever fight between Floyd Mayweather Jnr and Manny Pacquiao is OFF because the Filipino is refusing to give blood.
The £80m clash was set for Las Vegas on March 13 but is on the skids because Mayweather demanded random Olympic-style dope tests.
Seven-weight champion Pacman agreed to be tested before the press conference to announce the fight and after the 12-round contest but baulked at the American’s demands because of a blood phobia.
Now a war of words has erupted, with Mayweather questioning Pacquiao’s integrity and others claiming the American has been trying to get out of the fight.
Olympic-style drug testing involves random sampling of blood and urine before and after the fight because urine alone does not show up all banned substances.
Mayweather said: “I understand Pacquiao not liking having his blood taken because frankly I don’t know anyone who does.
“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.”
But WBO welterweight champ Pacquiao’s promoter Bob Arum said: “Floyd, to me, is a coward and he’s always been a coward.
“He’s not a physical coward, but a coward because he’s afraid to face somebody who could beat him.
“And believe me, Manny Pacquiao could beat him. So he’ll go his way, we’ll go our way. That’ll be fine.
“What I believe is that Floyd never really wanted the fight and this is just harassment of Pacquiao.
“Manny doesn’t know anything about drugs.
“This is just typical nastiness by wise guys like Mayweather and his adviser, Leonard Ellerbe.
Source: dailystar.co.uk
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