Sky Sports
Manny Pacquiao has finally snapped as a result of Floyd Mayweather's continued drug-testing demands, with the Filipino threatening legal action as well as calling Pretty Boy a 'coward' if he does not face him in the ring.
Pacquiao has refused to submit to blood-testing in the 30 days leading up to the fight which has been scheduled for March 13 in Las Vegas, but is now in doubt.
The Mayweather camp have insisted on both fighters making themselves available for testing, in accordance with US Anti Doping Agency regulations, to ensure they are clean.
The welterweight super-fight in Las Vegas was set to earn each fighter huge purses but Mayweather's insistence a drug-testing never before seen in boxing in threatens to destroy the fight the sport is desperate to see.
Floyd Mayweather Sr, the trainer, said earlier this year he believed Pacquiao was "on some type of supplements".
Blood saga
Mayweather Jr said this week that Pacquiao's refusal to undergo blood-testing as requested "leaves me with great doubt as to the level of fairness I would be facing in the ring that night".
Pacquiao has finally heard enough though, and says he will be launching court action for the comments hinting as him not being a clean fighter.
"Enough is enough," Pacquiao said in a statement. "These people, Mayweather Sr, Jr, and Golden Boy Promotions, think it is a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.
"I have tried to just brush it off as a mere pre-fight ploy but I think they have gone overboard.
"I have instructed my promoter, Bob Arum, head of Top Rank Inc, to help me out in the filing of the case as soon as possible because I have had people coming over to me now asking if I really take performance-enhancing drugs and I have cheated my way into becoming the number one boxer in the world.
"I maintain and assure everyone that I have not used any form or kind of steroids and that my way to the top is a result of hard work, hard work, hard work and a lot of blood spilled from my past battles in the ring, not outside of it.
"I have no idea what steroids look like and my fear in God has kept me safe and victorious through all these years."
Called out
Pacquiao has gone even further and he insists he is not running scared and launched a stinging attack on Mayweather when pleading for him to step into the ring on March 13.
"Now, I say to Floyd Mayweather Jr, don't be a coward and face me in the ring, mano-a-mano and shut your big, pretty mouth, so we can show the world who is the true king of the ring," he added.
"Pretty Boy Floyd, face me instead on March 13 in Las Vegas and not in some talk show forum or in press releases written for you by people who don't even know me.
"Face me in a fight where I get to punch back. You and your cohorts have accused me of using performance-enhancing drugs. Now, I say, the burden of proof should now come from you, not me."
Source: skysports.com
Saturday, 26 December 2009
Angry Pacquiao threatens law suit -- CNN
CNN
Manny Pacquiao is threatening Floyd Mayweather Jr. with legal action following a row over drugs testing which leaves their proposed super-bout next year in doubt.
Pacquiao is refusing to agree to a demand by the Mayweather camp to undergo Olympic style blood-screening in the run up to the fight, which is penciled in for the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on March 13.
Boxing commentators had suggested that the war of words was a pre-fight tactic by the Mayweather camp and his promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, to unsettle the Filipino, who has hit back with an angry statement on his personal Web site.
"Enough is enough. These people, Mayweather Sr, Jr, and Golden Boy Promotions, think it is a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs," it read.
"I have tried to just brush it off as a mere pre-fight ploy but I think they have gone overboard "
Pacquiao, who became a five-weight world champion by beating Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto in November, claimed he would now be calling in the lawyers.
"I have instructed my promoter, Bob Arum, head of Top Rank Inc, to help me out in the filing of the case as soon as possible because I have had people coming over to me now asking if I really take performance-enhancing drugs and I have cheated my way into becoming the number one boxer in the world.
"I maintain and assure everyone that I have not used any form or kind of steroids and that my way to the top is a result of hard work, hard work, hard work and a lot of blood spilled from my past battles in the ring, not outside of it.
"I have no idea what steroids look like and my fear in God has kept me safe and victorious through all these years."
The row started earlier this week when Mayweather's promoters Golden Boy Promotions went public with their demands for blood-testing, as mandated by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and making it a condition before the super-fight went ahead.
But Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach said this was not necessary under the rules governing fights in Nevada and was mind games by the Mayweather camp.
"We have passed every test ever given to us. We go by the commission rules, since when does the fighter make up the rules?, " he said.
Mayweather himself has largely kept his counsel but told the Golden Boy Promotions Web site that he hoped his possible opponent would change his mind.
"I understand Pacquiao not liking having his blood taken, because frankly I don't know anyone who really does," Mayweather said.
"I hope 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."
But Pacquiao in his message posted on Christmas Day showed little sign of extending the festive spirit to the unbeaten Mayweather.
"To Floyd, despite all these accusations, may your Christmas be merry and I will see you in court, soon," he added.
Source: cnn.com
Manny Pacquiao is threatening Floyd Mayweather Jr. with legal action following a row over drugs testing which leaves their proposed super-bout next year in doubt.
Pacquiao is refusing to agree to a demand by the Mayweather camp to undergo Olympic style blood-screening in the run up to the fight, which is penciled in for the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on March 13.
Boxing commentators had suggested that the war of words was a pre-fight tactic by the Mayweather camp and his promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, to unsettle the Filipino, who has hit back with an angry statement on his personal Web site.
"Enough is enough. These people, Mayweather Sr, Jr, and Golden Boy Promotions, think it is a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs," it read.
"I have tried to just brush it off as a mere pre-fight ploy but I think they have gone overboard "
Pacquiao, who became a five-weight world champion by beating Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto in November, claimed he would now be calling in the lawyers.
"I have instructed my promoter, Bob Arum, head of Top Rank Inc, to help me out in the filing of the case as soon as possible because I have had people coming over to me now asking if I really take performance-enhancing drugs and I have cheated my way into becoming the number one boxer in the world.
"I maintain and assure everyone that I have not used any form or kind of steroids and that my way to the top is a result of hard work, hard work, hard work and a lot of blood spilled from my past battles in the ring, not outside of it.
"I have no idea what steroids look like and my fear in God has kept me safe and victorious through all these years."
The row started earlier this week when Mayweather's promoters Golden Boy Promotions went public with their demands for blood-testing, as mandated by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and making it a condition before the super-fight went ahead.
But Pacquiao's trainer Freddie Roach said this was not necessary under the rules governing fights in Nevada and was mind games by the Mayweather camp.
"We have passed every test ever given to us. We go by the commission rules, since when does the fighter make up the rules?, " he said.
Mayweather himself has largely kept his counsel but told the Golden Boy Promotions Web site that he hoped his possible opponent would change his mind.
"I understand Pacquiao not liking having his blood taken, because frankly I don't know anyone who really does," Mayweather said.
"I hope 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."
But Pacquiao in his message posted on Christmas Day showed little sign of extending the festive spirit to the unbeaten Mayweather.
"To Floyd, despite all these accusations, may your Christmas be merry and I will see you in court, soon," he added.
Source: cnn.com
Pacquiao ready to fight Mayweathers in legal arena -- GMA News
GMA News
If the Mayweathers won't fight him inside the ring, Manny Pacquiao will take them on outside of it. Enraged by what he thinks are libelous theatrics by the father-and-son Mayweathers, Pacquiao has instructed Top Rank promoter Bob Arum to file libel, slander, and defamation suits against the Floyd Sr. and Jr. and their company, Golden Boy Promotions (GBP).
It’s about time that he defended himself against accusations from Floyd Sr. that he used performance-enhancing drugs, Pacquiao said in a report by Sports Saksi Chino Trinidad.
GBP president Richard Schaeffer will also be named as one of the respondents.
“Enough is enough," Pacquiao said. “These people [Mayweather Sr., Jr., and GBP] think it is a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs," said Pacquiao in a report by Philboxing.com.
Floyd Sr. has consistently accused Pacquiao that the source of his winning strength and speed is performance-enhancing drugs. The Filipino has won seven world division championships.
Pacquiao said that he passed all eight urine tests made by the Nevada Athletic Commission every time he fought in Las Vegas.
Dismissing Mayweather Sr.’s statements at first as part of a publicity stunt, Pacquiao - whose commercial endorsements based on his image have helped make him a billionaire - finally had enough.
“I have tried to just brush it off as a mere pre-fight ploy but I think they have gone overboard," said Pacquiao in Filipino.
But when more people have been asking him if he used performance-enhancing or not that is when Pacquiao decided to seek legal action.
“I have instructed (Arum) to help me out in the filing of the case as soon as possible because I have had people coming over to me now asking if I really take performance-enhancing drugs and I have cheated my way into becoming the No. 1 boxer in the world," said Pacquiao.
Team Pacquiao is planning to file libel, slander, and defamation suits against the Mayweathers.
“I maintain and assure everyone that I have not used any form or kind of steroids and that my way to the top is a result of hard work, hard work, hard work and a lot of blood spilled from my past battles in the ring, not outside of it," said Pacquiao.“I have no idea what steroids look like and my fear in God has kept me safe and victorious through all these years."
“Now, I say to Floyd Mayweather Jr., don’t be a coward and face me in the ring, mano-a-mano and shut your big, pretty mouth, so we can show the world who is the true king of the ring," said Pacquiao.
Despite the pending bout outside the ring, Pacquiao is still looking forward to some day facing the undefeated Mayweather Jr. inside the ring in what may turn out to be one of the highest grossing fights of all time. - HGS, GMANews.TV
Source: gmanews.tv
If the Mayweathers won't fight him inside the ring, Manny Pacquiao will take them on outside of it. Enraged by what he thinks are libelous theatrics by the father-and-son Mayweathers, Pacquiao has instructed Top Rank promoter Bob Arum to file libel, slander, and defamation suits against the Floyd Sr. and Jr. and their company, Golden Boy Promotions (GBP).
It’s about time that he defended himself against accusations from Floyd Sr. that he used performance-enhancing drugs, Pacquiao said in a report by Sports Saksi Chino Trinidad.
GBP president Richard Schaeffer will also be named as one of the respondents.
“Enough is enough," Pacquiao said. “These people [Mayweather Sr., Jr., and GBP] think it is a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs," said Pacquiao in a report by Philboxing.com.
Floyd Sr. has consistently accused Pacquiao that the source of his winning strength and speed is performance-enhancing drugs. The Filipino has won seven world division championships.
Pacquiao said that he passed all eight urine tests made by the Nevada Athletic Commission every time he fought in Las Vegas.
Dismissing Mayweather Sr.’s statements at first as part of a publicity stunt, Pacquiao - whose commercial endorsements based on his image have helped make him a billionaire - finally had enough.
“I have tried to just brush it off as a mere pre-fight ploy but I think they have gone overboard," said Pacquiao in Filipino.
But when more people have been asking him if he used performance-enhancing or not that is when Pacquiao decided to seek legal action.
“I have instructed (Arum) to help me out in the filing of the case as soon as possible because I have had people coming over to me now asking if I really take performance-enhancing drugs and I have cheated my way into becoming the No. 1 boxer in the world," said Pacquiao.
Team Pacquiao is planning to file libel, slander, and defamation suits against the Mayweathers.
“I maintain and assure everyone that I have not used any form or kind of steroids and that my way to the top is a result of hard work, hard work, hard work and a lot of blood spilled from my past battles in the ring, not outside of it," said Pacquiao.“I have no idea what steroids look like and my fear in God has kept me safe and victorious through all these years."
“Now, I say to Floyd Mayweather Jr., don’t be a coward and face me in the ring, mano-a-mano and shut your big, pretty mouth, so we can show the world who is the true king of the ring," said Pacquiao.
Despite the pending bout outside the ring, Pacquiao is still looking forward to some day facing the undefeated Mayweather Jr. inside the ring in what may turn out to be one of the highest grossing fights of all time. - HGS, GMANews.TV
Source: gmanews.tv
Voters select Isinbaeva, Pacquiao as USSA Athletes of the Year -- USA Today
USA Today
Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbaeva and boxer Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines have been named the 2009 United States Sports Academy's Male and Female Athletes of the Year.
Isinbaeva and Pacquiao were selected through a worldwide online ballot that saw the public cast more than 1.9 million votes.
Isinbaeva set world records in both the outdoor at 16 feet, 6 inches and indoor at 16 feet, 4 inches, becoming the first woman to clear 16 feet indoors.
Pacquiao became the first boxer to win titles in seven different weight classes, claiming the light welterweight title over Ricky Hatton in May, then winning the welterweight title over Miguel Cotto in November. Pacquiao has a career record of 50-3-2 with 38 knockouts.
The Athlete of the Year competition consisted of 12 male and 12 female candidates from around the world, representing a dozen countries. Each of the top three finishers on the men's and women's sides hailed from countries other than the United States, reflecting the Academy's international reach.
Finishing second in the men's balloting was Swiss tennis star Roger Federer, who won his record 15th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, less than a month after completing the career Grand Slam at the French Open. In third place was Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt. Already the defending Olympic champion in the events, Bolt stunned the sports landscape at the world track and field championships by lowering his already world-record times in the 100 and 200. Bolt won the 100 in 9.58 seconds and the 200 in 19.19, lowering each mark by .11 seconds.
Finishing second in the women's balloting was Mexican golfer Lorena Ochoa, who won her fourth straight LPGA Player of the Year crown and fourth straight Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average. Kenyan distance runner Linet Masai placed third after winning the 10,000 meters at the world track and field championships and leading her team to first place in the World Cross Country Championships.
The Athlete of the Year ballot is the culmination of USSA's year-long Athlete of the Month program, which recognizes the accomplishments of men and women in sports around the globe. The USSA is an independent, nonprofit, accredited, special mission sports university created to serve the nation and the world with programs in instruction, research and service. The role of the Academy is to prepare men and women for careers in the profession of sports.
Source: usatoday.com
Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbaeva and boxer Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines have been named the 2009 United States Sports Academy's Male and Female Athletes of the Year.
Isinbaeva and Pacquiao were selected through a worldwide online ballot that saw the public cast more than 1.9 million votes.
Isinbaeva set world records in both the outdoor at 16 feet, 6 inches and indoor at 16 feet, 4 inches, becoming the first woman to clear 16 feet indoors.
Pacquiao became the first boxer to win titles in seven different weight classes, claiming the light welterweight title over Ricky Hatton in May, then winning the welterweight title over Miguel Cotto in November. Pacquiao has a career record of 50-3-2 with 38 knockouts.
The Athlete of the Year competition consisted of 12 male and 12 female candidates from around the world, representing a dozen countries. Each of the top three finishers on the men's and women's sides hailed from countries other than the United States, reflecting the Academy's international reach.
Finishing second in the men's balloting was Swiss tennis star Roger Federer, who won his record 15th Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, less than a month after completing the career Grand Slam at the French Open. In third place was Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt. Already the defending Olympic champion in the events, Bolt stunned the sports landscape at the world track and field championships by lowering his already world-record times in the 100 and 200. Bolt won the 100 in 9.58 seconds and the 200 in 19.19, lowering each mark by .11 seconds.
Finishing second in the women's balloting was Mexican golfer Lorena Ochoa, who won her fourth straight LPGA Player of the Year crown and fourth straight Vare Trophy for lowest scoring average. Kenyan distance runner Linet Masai placed third after winning the 10,000 meters at the world track and field championships and leading her team to first place in the World Cross Country Championships.
The Athlete of the Year ballot is the culmination of USSA's year-long Athlete of the Month program, which recognizes the accomplishments of men and women in sports around the globe. The USSA is an independent, nonprofit, accredited, special mission sports university created to serve the nation and the world with programs in instruction, research and service. The role of the Academy is to prepare men and women for careers in the profession of sports.
Source: usatoday.com
Megafight talks take another strange twist -- Yahoo! Sports
By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports
Negotiations to finalize a lucrative boxing match between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. took another bizarre twist Friday as Pacquiao threatened libel lawsuits and the chief executive officer of Golden Boy Promotions was accused of telling a Filipino journalist that Pacquiao is using performance-enhancing drugs.
Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum said Friday that reporter Ronnie Nathanielsz of the Manila Standard told him that in September, Nathanielsz was in the Golden Boy offices in Los Angeles when Richard Schaefer accused Pacquiao of using PEDs.
Schaefer, whose company is representing Mayweather in a fight expected to be the largest-grossing in history, recalls meeting Nathanielsz in his downtown Los Angeles office but denied the allegations.
Nathanielsz, whose newspaper has not reported the alleged conversation, declined via email to comment.
Talks to finalize the bout between the two best pound-for-pound fighters in the world hit a snag on Tuesday when Mayweather issued a statement demanding “Olympic-style drug testing” administered by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Top Rank, on behalf of Pacquiao, declined and the sides have exchanged bitter words since.
On Friday, Arum said he spoke on the telephone late Thursday with Winchell Campos, a Pacquiao publicist. Arum said Campos told him Pacquiao planned to file a lawsuit against Mayweather, Mayweather Sr., Golden Boy Promotions and Schaefer for allegations Pacquiao says they made without evidence that he is on performance-enhancing drugs.
Arum said he tried to talk Campos out of issuing a statement from Pacquiao announcing plans for the suit. But Arum said Campos then put Pacquiao on the telephone and that Pacquiao was as angry as he has ever heard him.
“Manny is usually this mild-mannered guy, but he was unbelievably angry,” Arum said. “I never heard him like that. He told me to make it stop. This was a different Manny than I’d ever heard. When I hung up, I said, ‘What the hell was that about?’ ”
When he spoke to Nathanielsz by telephone 30 minutes later, Arum said Nathanielsz recounted a meeting in Schaefer’s downtown Los Angeles office in the buildup to the Sept. 19 fight in Las Vegas between Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez in which he alleged that Schaefer told him Pacquiao was using performance-enhancing drugs.
Arum, who flew to Mexico on Friday for a week-long vacation, said Nathanielsz’s comments clarified things for him. He said he had been puzzled by Mayweather Sr.’s public allegations against Pacquiao, but said they began to make sense after speaking with Nathanielsz.
“Ronnie said he came over early for the [Mayweather-Marquez] fight and he met with Schaefer,” Arum said. “He said they met for a half hour and that Schaefer went on and on and on that Manny is a cheater and that Manny uses steroids and that Manny was on performance-enhancing drugs.
“Ronnie asked him, ‘Why would you take this attitude with this young man?’ Ronnie told me he thinks Schaefer is pissed off that Manny chose us over Golden Boy, though Schaefer is happy to take the money.”
Pacquiao signed promotional contracts with both Golden Boy and Top Rank in 2006. Golden Boy president Oscar De La Hoya met Pacquiao at Los Angeles International Airport and gave him a suitcase filled with $250,000 in cash, which Pacquiao later was forced to return, as an inducement to sign.
Lawsuits were filed and the matter was eventually settled in arbitration by retired judge Daniel Weinstein. Weinstein ruled Pacquiao would be promoted by Top Rank, but that Golden Boy is entitled to a percentage of profits in perpetuity from all Pacquiao fights as long as Top Rank had Pacquiao under contract.
Arum said he has asked his attorneys to have the arbitration reopened and have Golden Boy eliminated since Schaefer’s actions were not in the fighter’s best interests.
Schaefer said Nathanielsz has had a good relationship with Golden Boy, particularly with its matchmaker, Eric Gomez. Schaefer admitted he hosted Nathanielsz in his office, but denied he made any accusations about Pacquiao and performance-enhancing drugs.
“I would never accuse anybody of anything and those who know me know that’s just not the way I am,” Schaefer said Friday. “I would never go and allege anybody is doing anything, so that is absolutely not true that I would have said to anybody that Manny is cheating. I didn’t.
“We have a pretty good relationship with Ronnie. I think Eric does. He came to see our offices, but there was no accusation of cheating. And in this process, over the last few days or weeks, not once did you hear me say, to you or to anyone else, that I am accusing Manny of taking anything or doing anything illegal.”
Schaefer also questioned why, if Nathanielsz had such information, that he had not reported it.
Mayweather Sr. began inferring that he suspected Pacquiao was on steroids or some other performance-enhancing substance in September, not long after Nathanielsz visited the Golden Boy offices.
After Pacquiao’s victory over Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 in Las Vegas, Mayweather Sr. suggested to Yahoo! Sports reporter Martin Rogers that Pacquiao’s improvements were not natural.
“You know there is something going on with him,” Mayweather Sr. told Rogers. “If I was Floyd I wouldn’t fight him because of that. It just don’t add up. Take a look at them old pictures, man. That’s a different dude. And he got knocked out when he was 30 pounds lighter, but now he can stand there and take Cotto’s best shots? Come on.”
Arum reiterated Friday that Pacquiao is clean and said the fight can be salvaged if Mayweather backs off his insistence that testing be administered by USADA. USADA’s procedures demand random testing up to and including the day of competition.
Pacquiao has an aversion to giving blood close to an event, both Arum and his adviser, Michael Koncz, have said, believing it weakens him. Arum said Pacquiao would submit to testing if it were done under the auspices of the Nevada Athletic Commission.
“They’re corrupted in this thing; they’re complicit,” Arum said of USADA. “Both sides here know the people involved in the Nevada Athletic Commission. It can handle the testing and we can work out a protocol that will prove Manny is not on anything and that won’t interfere with the fight.”
Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions and the fighter’s closest friend, refused to say Friday whether his side would accept testing done by any group other than USADA, as it has demanded.
Ellerbe said he and Mayweather adviser Al Haymon came up with the idea to require the testing, not Mayweather Jr., as a way to protect their fighter.
“We’re waiting to see if Manny Pacquiao is going to do the Olympic-style drug testing,” Ellerbe said. “The bottom line is that neither Top Rank, nor Manny’s camp, nor Mayweather Promotions or Golden Boy Promotions are going to dictate how the blood and urine testing is conducted.
“I understand this could be the biggest fight in the history of the sport, but all money ain’t good money. You can’t put a price tag on anything when it comes to a man’s livelihood. The fighters are the only ones stepping up, putting their lives on the line. It’s the fighters who are putting their lives on the line, not me, not Top Rank, not Golden Boy, not Al Haymon. Our responsibility here is to protect the interests of our guy and that’s what we’re doing.”
In his statement in which he threatened to sue, Pacquiao denies taking steroids and said he didn’t sue Mayweather Sr. earlier because he didn’t want to create distractions during his preparations for Cotto.
“I maintain and assure everyone that I have not used any form or kind of steroids and that my way to the top is a result of hard work, hard work, hard work and a lot of blood spilled from my past battles in the ring, not outside of it,” Pacquiao said in his statement. “I have no idea what steroids look like and my fear in God has kept me safe and victorious through all these years.
“Now, I say to Floyd Mayweather Jr., don’t be a coward and face me in the ring, mano-a-mano and shut your big, pretty mouth, so we can show the world who is the true king of the ring.”
Arum said he plans to continue parallel negotiations with Lou DiBella, who promotes Paulie Malignaggi, and plans to resume those talks on Monday for a Pacquiao-Malignaggi fight on March 13.
Malignaggi has suggested Pacquiao may have taken performance-enhancing drugs and Arum said Pacquiao would agree to some type of testing administered by a regulatory agency like the Nevada Athletic Commission to quell those fears.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
Negotiations to finalize a lucrative boxing match between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. took another bizarre twist Friday as Pacquiao threatened libel lawsuits and the chief executive officer of Golden Boy Promotions was accused of telling a Filipino journalist that Pacquiao is using performance-enhancing drugs.
Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum said Friday that reporter Ronnie Nathanielsz of the Manila Standard told him that in September, Nathanielsz was in the Golden Boy offices in Los Angeles when Richard Schaefer accused Pacquiao of using PEDs.
Schaefer, whose company is representing Mayweather in a fight expected to be the largest-grossing in history, recalls meeting Nathanielsz in his downtown Los Angeles office but denied the allegations.
Nathanielsz, whose newspaper has not reported the alleged conversation, declined via email to comment.
Talks to finalize the bout between the two best pound-for-pound fighters in the world hit a snag on Tuesday when Mayweather issued a statement demanding “Olympic-style drug testing” administered by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. Top Rank, on behalf of Pacquiao, declined and the sides have exchanged bitter words since.
On Friday, Arum said he spoke on the telephone late Thursday with Winchell Campos, a Pacquiao publicist. Arum said Campos told him Pacquiao planned to file a lawsuit against Mayweather, Mayweather Sr., Golden Boy Promotions and Schaefer for allegations Pacquiao says they made without evidence that he is on performance-enhancing drugs.
Arum said he tried to talk Campos out of issuing a statement from Pacquiao announcing plans for the suit. But Arum said Campos then put Pacquiao on the telephone and that Pacquiao was as angry as he has ever heard him.
“Manny is usually this mild-mannered guy, but he was unbelievably angry,” Arum said. “I never heard him like that. He told me to make it stop. This was a different Manny than I’d ever heard. When I hung up, I said, ‘What the hell was that about?’ ”
When he spoke to Nathanielsz by telephone 30 minutes later, Arum said Nathanielsz recounted a meeting in Schaefer’s downtown Los Angeles office in the buildup to the Sept. 19 fight in Las Vegas between Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez in which he alleged that Schaefer told him Pacquiao was using performance-enhancing drugs.
Arum, who flew to Mexico on Friday for a week-long vacation, said Nathanielsz’s comments clarified things for him. He said he had been puzzled by Mayweather Sr.’s public allegations against Pacquiao, but said they began to make sense after speaking with Nathanielsz.
“Ronnie said he came over early for the [Mayweather-Marquez] fight and he met with Schaefer,” Arum said. “He said they met for a half hour and that Schaefer went on and on and on that Manny is a cheater and that Manny uses steroids and that Manny was on performance-enhancing drugs.
“Ronnie asked him, ‘Why would you take this attitude with this young man?’ Ronnie told me he thinks Schaefer is pissed off that Manny chose us over Golden Boy, though Schaefer is happy to take the money.”
Pacquiao signed promotional contracts with both Golden Boy and Top Rank in 2006. Golden Boy president Oscar De La Hoya met Pacquiao at Los Angeles International Airport and gave him a suitcase filled with $250,000 in cash, which Pacquiao later was forced to return, as an inducement to sign.
Lawsuits were filed and the matter was eventually settled in arbitration by retired judge Daniel Weinstein. Weinstein ruled Pacquiao would be promoted by Top Rank, but that Golden Boy is entitled to a percentage of profits in perpetuity from all Pacquiao fights as long as Top Rank had Pacquiao under contract.
Arum said he has asked his attorneys to have the arbitration reopened and have Golden Boy eliminated since Schaefer’s actions were not in the fighter’s best interests.
Schaefer said Nathanielsz has had a good relationship with Golden Boy, particularly with its matchmaker, Eric Gomez. Schaefer admitted he hosted Nathanielsz in his office, but denied he made any accusations about Pacquiao and performance-enhancing drugs.
“I would never accuse anybody of anything and those who know me know that’s just not the way I am,” Schaefer said Friday. “I would never go and allege anybody is doing anything, so that is absolutely not true that I would have said to anybody that Manny is cheating. I didn’t.
“We have a pretty good relationship with Ronnie. I think Eric does. He came to see our offices, but there was no accusation of cheating. And in this process, over the last few days or weeks, not once did you hear me say, to you or to anyone else, that I am accusing Manny of taking anything or doing anything illegal.”
Schaefer also questioned why, if Nathanielsz had such information, that he had not reported it.
Mayweather Sr. began inferring that he suspected Pacquiao was on steroids or some other performance-enhancing substance in September, not long after Nathanielsz visited the Golden Boy offices.
After Pacquiao’s victory over Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 in Las Vegas, Mayweather Sr. suggested to Yahoo! Sports reporter Martin Rogers that Pacquiao’s improvements were not natural.
“You know there is something going on with him,” Mayweather Sr. told Rogers. “If I was Floyd I wouldn’t fight him because of that. It just don’t add up. Take a look at them old pictures, man. That’s a different dude. And he got knocked out when he was 30 pounds lighter, but now he can stand there and take Cotto’s best shots? Come on.”
Arum reiterated Friday that Pacquiao is clean and said the fight can be salvaged if Mayweather backs off his insistence that testing be administered by USADA. USADA’s procedures demand random testing up to and including the day of competition.
Pacquiao has an aversion to giving blood close to an event, both Arum and his adviser, Michael Koncz, have said, believing it weakens him. Arum said Pacquiao would submit to testing if it were done under the auspices of the Nevada Athletic Commission.
“They’re corrupted in this thing; they’re complicit,” Arum said of USADA. “Both sides here know the people involved in the Nevada Athletic Commission. It can handle the testing and we can work out a protocol that will prove Manny is not on anything and that won’t interfere with the fight.”
Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions and the fighter’s closest friend, refused to say Friday whether his side would accept testing done by any group other than USADA, as it has demanded.
Ellerbe said he and Mayweather adviser Al Haymon came up with the idea to require the testing, not Mayweather Jr., as a way to protect their fighter.
“We’re waiting to see if Manny Pacquiao is going to do the Olympic-style drug testing,” Ellerbe said. “The bottom line is that neither Top Rank, nor Manny’s camp, nor Mayweather Promotions or Golden Boy Promotions are going to dictate how the blood and urine testing is conducted.
“I understand this could be the biggest fight in the history of the sport, but all money ain’t good money. You can’t put a price tag on anything when it comes to a man’s livelihood. The fighters are the only ones stepping up, putting their lives on the line. It’s the fighters who are putting their lives on the line, not me, not Top Rank, not Golden Boy, not Al Haymon. Our responsibility here is to protect the interests of our guy and that’s what we’re doing.”
In his statement in which he threatened to sue, Pacquiao denies taking steroids and said he didn’t sue Mayweather Sr. earlier because he didn’t want to create distractions during his preparations for Cotto.
“I maintain and assure everyone that I have not used any form or kind of steroids and that my way to the top is a result of hard work, hard work, hard work and a lot of blood spilled from my past battles in the ring, not outside of it,” Pacquiao said in his statement. “I have no idea what steroids look like and my fear in God has kept me safe and victorious through all these years.
“Now, I say to Floyd Mayweather Jr., don’t be a coward and face me in the ring, mano-a-mano and shut your big, pretty mouth, so we can show the world who is the true king of the ring.”
Arum said he plans to continue parallel negotiations with Lou DiBella, who promotes Paulie Malignaggi, and plans to resume those talks on Monday for a Pacquiao-Malignaggi fight on March 13.
Malignaggi has suggested Pacquiao may have taken performance-enhancing drugs and Arum said Pacquiao would agree to some type of testing administered by a regulatory agency like the Nevada Athletic Commission to quell those fears.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
Pacquiao plans to sue Mayweather -- BBC Sport
BBC Sport
Manny Pacquiao has said he will take Floyd Mayweather to court following a blood-testing dispute.
The Filipino pulled out of a lucrative fight to face Mayweather on 13 March after the American demanded Olympic-style drugs tests ahead of the bout.
Pacquaio also plans to sue Mayweather's father and Golden Boy Promotions.
"I have instructed my promoter, Bob Arum, to help me out in the filing of the case as soon as possible," read a statement on Pacquaio's website.
"Enough is enough. These people, Mayweather Sr, Jr and Golden Boy Promotions think it is a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.
"I have tried to just brush it off as a mere pre-fight ploy but I think they have gone overboard."
WBO welterweight champion Pacquaio withdrew from what was expected to be the richest fight in boxing history on Wednesday following a disagreement about blood tests 30 days prior to the fight.
The Filipino said he would only give blood before the initial media conference and immediately after the fight.
Although Pacquaio said he would agree to testing by the same agencies that conduct pro American Football and baseball players, he would not sign up to random tests by the US Anti-Doping Agency.
Promoter Arum accused Mayweather's camp of raising the issue not because they were worried about Pacquiao taking performance-enhancing substances, but because Mayweather never wanted to fight in the first place.
And Pacquaio now intends to settle matters in court.
"I have had people coming over to me now asking if I really take performance-enhancing drugs and I have cheated my way into becoming the number one boxer in the world," said the 31-year-old, who has never tested positive for performance-enhancing substances.
"I maintain and assure everyone that I have not used any form or kind of steroids and that my way to the top is a result of hard work, hard work, hard work and a lot of blood spilled from my past battles in the ring, not outside of it.
"I have no idea what steroids look like and my fear in God has kept me safe and victorious through all these years.
"Now, I say to Floyd Mayweather Jr, don't be a coward and face me in the ring, mano-a-mano and shut your big, pretty mouth so we can show the world who is the true king of the ring."
Unbeaten Mayweather and five-weight champion Pacquaio - considered to be the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world - were set to meet at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in one of the biggest fight since the turn of the century.
Pacquiao became a five-weight world champion following his WBO welterweight title win over Miguel Cotto in November, while Nevada-based Mayweather returned from a 21-month retirement to beat Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in September.
Source: news.bbc.co.uk
Manny Pacquiao has said he will take Floyd Mayweather to court following a blood-testing dispute.
The Filipino pulled out of a lucrative fight to face Mayweather on 13 March after the American demanded Olympic-style drugs tests ahead of the bout.
Pacquaio also plans to sue Mayweather's father and Golden Boy Promotions.
"I have instructed my promoter, Bob Arum, to help me out in the filing of the case as soon as possible," read a statement on Pacquaio's website.
"Enough is enough. These people, Mayweather Sr, Jr and Golden Boy Promotions think it is a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs.
"I have tried to just brush it off as a mere pre-fight ploy but I think they have gone overboard."
WBO welterweight champion Pacquaio withdrew from what was expected to be the richest fight in boxing history on Wednesday following a disagreement about blood tests 30 days prior to the fight.
The Filipino said he would only give blood before the initial media conference and immediately after the fight.
Although Pacquaio said he would agree to testing by the same agencies that conduct pro American Football and baseball players, he would not sign up to random tests by the US Anti-Doping Agency.
Promoter Arum accused Mayweather's camp of raising the issue not because they were worried about Pacquiao taking performance-enhancing substances, but because Mayweather never wanted to fight in the first place.
And Pacquaio now intends to settle matters in court.
"I have had people coming over to me now asking if I really take performance-enhancing drugs and I have cheated my way into becoming the number one boxer in the world," said the 31-year-old, who has never tested positive for performance-enhancing substances.
"I maintain and assure everyone that I have not used any form or kind of steroids and that my way to the top is a result of hard work, hard work, hard work and a lot of blood spilled from my past battles in the ring, not outside of it.
"I have no idea what steroids look like and my fear in God has kept me safe and victorious through all these years.
"Now, I say to Floyd Mayweather Jr, don't be a coward and face me in the ring, mano-a-mano and shut your big, pretty mouth so we can show the world who is the true king of the ring."
Unbeaten Mayweather and five-weight champion Pacquaio - considered to be the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world - were set to meet at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas in one of the biggest fight since the turn of the century.
Pacquiao became a five-weight world champion following his WBO welterweight title win over Miguel Cotto in November, while Nevada-based Mayweather returned from a 21-month retirement to beat Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez in September.
Source: news.bbc.co.uk
Pacquiao: I'm suing Mayweather for defamation -- ESPN
By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com
What began as an apparent simple disagreement between the camps of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. over how to handle drug testing for their megafight -- tentatively scheduled for March 13 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas -- has spiraled so out of control that the potential biggest money fight in boxing history was in serious jeopardy on Christmas Day.
Pacquiao, angered by accusations from the Mayweather camp that he uses performance-enhancing drugs, said he would file a defamation lawsuit against Mayweather and Golden Boy Promotions.
"Enough is enough. These people, Mayweather Sr., [Mayweather] Jr. and Golden Boy Promotions, think it is a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs," said Pacquiao, who denied that he has ever used any banned substance and who has passed all of his drug tests. "I have tried to just brush it off as a mere prefight ploy, but I think they have gone overboard."
Floyd Mayweather Sr., the fighter's father, has repeatedly accused Pacquiao of taking illegal substances and points to his rising through weight divisions to win titles in a record seven divisions while maintaining his speed and power.
"I have instructed my promoter, Bob Arum, head of Top Rank Inc., to help me out in the filing of the case as soon as possible because I have had people coming over to me now asking if I really take performance-enhancing drugs and [if] I have cheated my way into becoming the No. 1 boxer in the world," Pacquiao said.
"I maintain and assure everyone that I have not used any form or kind of steroids and that my way to the top is a result of hard work, hard work, hard work and a lot of blood spilled from my past battles in the ring, not outside of it. I have no idea what steroids look like, and my fear in God has kept me safe and victorious through all these years."
Arum was making plans for an alternative bout for Pacquiao to defend his welterweight title on March 13 against former junior welterweight titlist Paulie Malignaggi, in the event the fight with Mayweather can't be finalized.
"I reached out to Lou DiBella [Malignaggi's promoter], and we're going to schedule that fight for March 13 unless something drastically changes with this Mayweather thing," Arum told ESPN.com on Friday, just before leaving for a working vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. "I'm not going to leave Manny without a fight because of this nonsense [with Mayweather]."
Ironically, Malignaggi also has repeatedly accused Pacquiao of using PEDs.
A plan proposed by HBO to have Sen. John McCain, a serious boxing fan, mediate the drug-testing dispute was originally embraced by the camps but was later shot down by Pacquiao. Arum then suggested that the Nevada State Athletic Commission oversee the testing.
"Manny is pissed off, but I think I can bring him back into the fight by having Nevada do it," Arum said. "He's fought in Las Vegas many times and is comfortable with the people on the commission."
Mayweather is demanding Olympic-style testing conducted by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, whose inflexible protocol calls for random urine and blood testing throughout training camps, fight week and even the day of the fight, with the ability to test any time, day or night. Both fighters would be subject to the same kind of testing.
The Pacquiao camp originally suggested using the more flexible agencies that oversee testing for American professional sports leagues before Arum said testing should be overseen by the Nevada commission.
According to Arum and Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, the main issue is an assurance that blood testing will be cut off at an agreed-upon point before the fight, specifically a guarantee that there would be no testing in the final few days before the bout; USADA would not guarantee that. Pacquiao agreed to submit to unlimited urine testing.
In an effort to find common ground, HBO analyst Larry Merchant -- who conceived of Pacquiao's moving up two weight classes to fight Oscar De La Hoya, whom he knocked out in a major upset -- suggested McCain mediate the issue if they could persuade him to do it.
HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg took the idea to Arum and Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer. They were both receptive and set out to sell their sides on the idea Thursday, while Greenburg, who has known McCain for years, attempted to contact McCain.
The notion was that McCain would have the gravitas to go with his reputation as a Washington deal-maker to be acceptable to both sides, not to mention his vast knowledge of boxing.
McCain, who boxed as an amateur at the U.S. Naval Academy, spearheaded two pieces of legislation, the Professional Boxing Safety Act in 1996 and the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act in 2000.
However, Arum said that he spoke to Pacquiao, who is in the Philippines, Thursday night and that he was so angered by the drug-testing controversy that he refused the mediation and told Arum of his plans for the lawsuit.
"I have never, ever in all the years I have known Manny seen him so angry," Arum said. "No wonder he is so fierce in the ring. He was angry, bitter and really pissed off beyond everything. He said, 'I don't want you to deal with these people.' He said he's going through with the lawsuit. There is no mediation because there is no give here. Ross asked if we would agree to mediation, but we're not agreeable anymore. We're not going to let Mayweather jerk Manny's chain."
"We're not giving up on this fight," Greenburg said. "We'll just keep the lines of communication open. That's all you can do."
Arum said he is proposing that the Nevada commission handle the testing. It typically conducts only postfight urine tests and, in some cases, prefight urine tests. However, Arum said the commission was willing to conduct additional urine and blood testing if the camps asked for it.
"If Mayweather wants the fight, it will be governed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. They would be prepared to conduct drug tests, including blood and urine tests, before and after the fight," Arum said. "We're 100 percent OK with that as long as it's run by the Nevada commission. They will know enough not to harass the fighters. We're OK with the Nevada commission. Whatever they want, without conditions. We know they're not going to do it the week of the fight. We're prepared to get an agreement on the testing by the commission in writing and do it that way.
"The Nevada commission is paid by the state to oversee this sort of thing. They're the governing body. The Nevada commission will not inconvenience a fighter by waking him up in the middle of the night. The other guys [USADA] play games. We'll write down the protocols and let the commission go from there."
When reached by ESPN.com on Friday, Schaefer said he thought the plan to try to get McCain to act as a mediator was still in the works. He was unaware that Pacquiao had rejected mediation and that Arum was offering the Nevada commission's oversight as a compromise.
"This is something I would have to discuss with my side," Schaefer said. "I'm not the one who goes in the ring. I have to see if this is a procedure Floyd would accept. We are open to any and all ideas. It is not Floyd Mayweather who wants to walk away from this fight and kill the fight. You have not heard from us once saying this fight is dead. That's been Bob. We are trying to come up with a solution, an alternative to the drug testing. I'll be more than happy to take [the Nevada commission idea] back to my side."
If the sides can work out the drug testing, Pacquiao sounds as if he's spoiling for a fight. He's not a fighter who trash-talks, but Mayweather clearly has gotten under his skin.
"I say to Floyd Mayweather Jr., don't be a coward and face me in the ring, mano a mano, and shut your big, pretty mouth so we can show the world who is the true king of the ring," Pacquiao said, adding that he contemplated a lawsuit against Mayweather Sr. before his Nov. 14 victory against Miguel Cotto. "I did not sue because I did not want to get distracted during that time because I was preparing for one of the toughest fights in my career.
"Pretty Boy Floyd, face me instead on March 13 in Las Vegas and not in some talk show forum or in press releases written for you by people who don't even know me. Face me in a fight where I get to punch back. To Floyd, despite all these accusations, may your Christmas be merry, and I will see you in court soon, too."
Dan Rafael covers boxing for ESPN.com.
Source: sports.espn.go.com
What began as an apparent simple disagreement between the camps of Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. over how to handle drug testing for their megafight -- tentatively scheduled for March 13 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas -- has spiraled so out of control that the potential biggest money fight in boxing history was in serious jeopardy on Christmas Day.
Pacquiao, angered by accusations from the Mayweather camp that he uses performance-enhancing drugs, said he would file a defamation lawsuit against Mayweather and Golden Boy Promotions.
"Enough is enough. These people, Mayweather Sr., [Mayweather] Jr. and Golden Boy Promotions, think it is a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs," said Pacquiao, who denied that he has ever used any banned substance and who has passed all of his drug tests. "I have tried to just brush it off as a mere prefight ploy, but I think they have gone overboard."
Floyd Mayweather Sr., the fighter's father, has repeatedly accused Pacquiao of taking illegal substances and points to his rising through weight divisions to win titles in a record seven divisions while maintaining his speed and power.
"I have instructed my promoter, Bob Arum, head of Top Rank Inc., to help me out in the filing of the case as soon as possible because I have had people coming over to me now asking if I really take performance-enhancing drugs and [if] I have cheated my way into becoming the No. 1 boxer in the world," Pacquiao said.
"I maintain and assure everyone that I have not used any form or kind of steroids and that my way to the top is a result of hard work, hard work, hard work and a lot of blood spilled from my past battles in the ring, not outside of it. I have no idea what steroids look like, and my fear in God has kept me safe and victorious through all these years."
Arum was making plans for an alternative bout for Pacquiao to defend his welterweight title on March 13 against former junior welterweight titlist Paulie Malignaggi, in the event the fight with Mayweather can't be finalized.
"I reached out to Lou DiBella [Malignaggi's promoter], and we're going to schedule that fight for March 13 unless something drastically changes with this Mayweather thing," Arum told ESPN.com on Friday, just before leaving for a working vacation in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. "I'm not going to leave Manny without a fight because of this nonsense [with Mayweather]."
Ironically, Malignaggi also has repeatedly accused Pacquiao of using PEDs.
A plan proposed by HBO to have Sen. John McCain, a serious boxing fan, mediate the drug-testing dispute was originally embraced by the camps but was later shot down by Pacquiao. Arum then suggested that the Nevada State Athletic Commission oversee the testing.
"Manny is pissed off, but I think I can bring him back into the fight by having Nevada do it," Arum said. "He's fought in Las Vegas many times and is comfortable with the people on the commission."
Mayweather is demanding Olympic-style testing conducted by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, whose inflexible protocol calls for random urine and blood testing throughout training camps, fight week and even the day of the fight, with the ability to test any time, day or night. Both fighters would be subject to the same kind of testing.
The Pacquiao camp originally suggested using the more flexible agencies that oversee testing for American professional sports leagues before Arum said testing should be overseen by the Nevada commission.
According to Arum and Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, the main issue is an assurance that blood testing will be cut off at an agreed-upon point before the fight, specifically a guarantee that there would be no testing in the final few days before the bout; USADA would not guarantee that. Pacquiao agreed to submit to unlimited urine testing.
In an effort to find common ground, HBO analyst Larry Merchant -- who conceived of Pacquiao's moving up two weight classes to fight Oscar De La Hoya, whom he knocked out in a major upset -- suggested McCain mediate the issue if they could persuade him to do it.
HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg took the idea to Arum and Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer. They were both receptive and set out to sell their sides on the idea Thursday, while Greenburg, who has known McCain for years, attempted to contact McCain.
The notion was that McCain would have the gravitas to go with his reputation as a Washington deal-maker to be acceptable to both sides, not to mention his vast knowledge of boxing.
McCain, who boxed as an amateur at the U.S. Naval Academy, spearheaded two pieces of legislation, the Professional Boxing Safety Act in 1996 and the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act in 2000.
However, Arum said that he spoke to Pacquiao, who is in the Philippines, Thursday night and that he was so angered by the drug-testing controversy that he refused the mediation and told Arum of his plans for the lawsuit.
"I have never, ever in all the years I have known Manny seen him so angry," Arum said. "No wonder he is so fierce in the ring. He was angry, bitter and really pissed off beyond everything. He said, 'I don't want you to deal with these people.' He said he's going through with the lawsuit. There is no mediation because there is no give here. Ross asked if we would agree to mediation, but we're not agreeable anymore. We're not going to let Mayweather jerk Manny's chain."
"We're not giving up on this fight," Greenburg said. "We'll just keep the lines of communication open. That's all you can do."
Arum said he is proposing that the Nevada commission handle the testing. It typically conducts only postfight urine tests and, in some cases, prefight urine tests. However, Arum said the commission was willing to conduct additional urine and blood testing if the camps asked for it.
"If Mayweather wants the fight, it will be governed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. They would be prepared to conduct drug tests, including blood and urine tests, before and after the fight," Arum said. "We're 100 percent OK with that as long as it's run by the Nevada commission. They will know enough not to harass the fighters. We're OK with the Nevada commission. Whatever they want, without conditions. We know they're not going to do it the week of the fight. We're prepared to get an agreement on the testing by the commission in writing and do it that way.
"The Nevada commission is paid by the state to oversee this sort of thing. They're the governing body. The Nevada commission will not inconvenience a fighter by waking him up in the middle of the night. The other guys [USADA] play games. We'll write down the protocols and let the commission go from there."
When reached by ESPN.com on Friday, Schaefer said he thought the plan to try to get McCain to act as a mediator was still in the works. He was unaware that Pacquiao had rejected mediation and that Arum was offering the Nevada commission's oversight as a compromise.
"This is something I would have to discuss with my side," Schaefer said. "I'm not the one who goes in the ring. I have to see if this is a procedure Floyd would accept. We are open to any and all ideas. It is not Floyd Mayweather who wants to walk away from this fight and kill the fight. You have not heard from us once saying this fight is dead. That's been Bob. We are trying to come up with a solution, an alternative to the drug testing. I'll be more than happy to take [the Nevada commission idea] back to my side."
If the sides can work out the drug testing, Pacquiao sounds as if he's spoiling for a fight. He's not a fighter who trash-talks, but Mayweather clearly has gotten under his skin.
"I say to Floyd Mayweather Jr., don't be a coward and face me in the ring, mano a mano, and shut your big, pretty mouth so we can show the world who is the true king of the ring," Pacquiao said, adding that he contemplated a lawsuit against Mayweather Sr. before his Nov. 14 victory against Miguel Cotto. "I did not sue because I did not want to get distracted during that time because I was preparing for one of the toughest fights in my career.
"Pretty Boy Floyd, face me instead on March 13 in Las Vegas and not in some talk show forum or in press releases written for you by people who don't even know me. Face me in a fight where I get to punch back. To Floyd, despite all these accusations, may your Christmas be merry, and I will see you in court soon, too."
Dan Rafael covers boxing for ESPN.com.
Source: sports.espn.go.com
Mayweather-Pacquiao 'Off,' Pacquiao-Malignaggi Pending -- FanHouse
By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse
The scheduled March 13 megabout between seven-division world champion, Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather "is absolutely off," according to what Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told FanHouse on the afternoon of Christmas Day.
In addition, the 31-year-old Pacquaio (50-3-2, 38 knockouts), who earned the WBO welterweight (147 pounds) title with last month's 12th-round stoppage of Miguel Cotto, will instead fight New York's Paulie Malignaggi (27-3, five KOs) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on the same date.
Also, Arum said that Pacquiao could soon file a lawsuit claiming libel and slander against Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs), his father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., and Golden Boy Promotions, whose CEO, Richard Schaefer, was negotiating on Mayweather's behalf.
All of this was detailed during an angry, Friday morning telephone call to FanHouse from Arum.
"This fight is absolutely off. That's our position, period, is that we're moving on to Malignaggi," said Arum. "And if Mayweather loses this fight, and all of this money, then he has only one guy to blame, and that's Richard Schaefer. This is not Mayweather. This is Richard Schaefer."
Schaefer could not be reached for comment.
The decision comes on a day when Arum said the two sides were slated to have U.S. senator, John McCain, mediate a negotiations effort arranged by Ross Greenburg, president of HBO Sports.
"But I called up Ross and I said, 'I'm not going to take part in any mediation or anything. I'm not going to deal with Richard Schaefer on instructions from my client. He's demeaned and libeled my client for no damn reason. And I'm just not going to take part in it," said Arum.
"If they want to come back and have someone else represent them -- [Mayweather's adviser] Leonard Ellerbe -- or anybody else they want, then we can sit down and do this the right way with the Nevada Athletic Commission having complete jurisdiction over everything," said Arum.
"Then, we would agree to pre-fight testing, urine analysis, blood-testing, whatever it took to get this fight done," said Arum. "But we'd only do it with the Nevada Athletic Commission. But for now, Manny has asked me to move on to Malignaggi."
Arum said that Pacquiao's suit stems from the Mayweather camp's insistence that Pacquiao and Mayweather be given Olympic-style, prefight, random blood and urine tests from the United States Anti-Doping Agency, a move Arum believes resulted largely from steroid accusations first leveled, publicly, against Pacquiao by Mayweather's father, Floyd Sr., in September.
Arum said that Pacquiao was uncharacteristically angry during a telephone conversation on Thursday night.
"I have never, ever in my life experienced Manny Pacquiao acting that way. He was so angry, the lines were smoking," said Arum. "He said, 'I don't want you to deal with these people, they're no good, they've [disrepected] me.'"
In a statement obtained by FanHouse, Pacquiao alleges that his "character and person has been questioned, maligned, damaged and tarnished by baseless and false accusations."
"Enough is enough. These people, Mayweather Sr., Jr., and Golden Boy Promotions, think it is a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs," said Pacquiao, in a statement obtained by FanHouse. "I have tried to just brush it off as a mere pre-fight ploy, but I think they have gone overboard."
Arum believes that the Golden Boy Promotions still is bitter about developments from 2006, when Pacquiao chose to go with Top Rank over their company after signing contracts with each.
Arum sued Golden Boy after discovering that its president, Oscar De La Hoya, had given Pacquiao a $250,000 signing bonus. Later, an arbitrator split Pacquiao evenly between the two, but Top Rank remains his primary promoter.
"[A Philippines reporter] said that Schaefer brought up the fact that Pacquiao went with us rather than Golden Boy a number of years ago, and that he was still bitter about that,'" said Arum.
"Manny is absolutely filing a lawsuit. He doesn't know when, he doesn't know where, but he wants me to get him a lawyer, which we will do. If he wants to sue, which he apparently does, he will sue."
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
The scheduled March 13 megabout between seven-division world champion, Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather "is absolutely off," according to what Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told FanHouse on the afternoon of Christmas Day.
In addition, the 31-year-old Pacquaio (50-3-2, 38 knockouts), who earned the WBO welterweight (147 pounds) title with last month's 12th-round stoppage of Miguel Cotto, will instead fight New York's Paulie Malignaggi (27-3, five KOs) at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on the same date.
Also, Arum said that Pacquiao could soon file a lawsuit claiming libel and slander against Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs), his father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., and Golden Boy Promotions, whose CEO, Richard Schaefer, was negotiating on Mayweather's behalf.
All of this was detailed during an angry, Friday morning telephone call to FanHouse from Arum.
"This fight is absolutely off. That's our position, period, is that we're moving on to Malignaggi," said Arum. "And if Mayweather loses this fight, and all of this money, then he has only one guy to blame, and that's Richard Schaefer. This is not Mayweather. This is Richard Schaefer."
Schaefer could not be reached for comment.
The decision comes on a day when Arum said the two sides were slated to have U.S. senator, John McCain, mediate a negotiations effort arranged by Ross Greenburg, president of HBO Sports.
"But I called up Ross and I said, 'I'm not going to take part in any mediation or anything. I'm not going to deal with Richard Schaefer on instructions from my client. He's demeaned and libeled my client for no damn reason. And I'm just not going to take part in it," said Arum.
"If they want to come back and have someone else represent them -- [Mayweather's adviser] Leonard Ellerbe -- or anybody else they want, then we can sit down and do this the right way with the Nevada Athletic Commission having complete jurisdiction over everything," said Arum.
"Then, we would agree to pre-fight testing, urine analysis, blood-testing, whatever it took to get this fight done," said Arum. "But we'd only do it with the Nevada Athletic Commission. But for now, Manny has asked me to move on to Malignaggi."
Arum said that Pacquiao's suit stems from the Mayweather camp's insistence that Pacquiao and Mayweather be given Olympic-style, prefight, random blood and urine tests from the United States Anti-Doping Agency, a move Arum believes resulted largely from steroid accusations first leveled, publicly, against Pacquiao by Mayweather's father, Floyd Sr., in September.
Arum said that Pacquiao was uncharacteristically angry during a telephone conversation on Thursday night.
"I have never, ever in my life experienced Manny Pacquiao acting that way. He was so angry, the lines were smoking," said Arum. "He said, 'I don't want you to deal with these people, they're no good, they've [disrepected] me.'"
In a statement obtained by FanHouse, Pacquiao alleges that his "character and person has been questioned, maligned, damaged and tarnished by baseless and false accusations."
"Enough is enough. These people, Mayweather Sr., Jr., and Golden Boy Promotions, think it is a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs," said Pacquiao, in a statement obtained by FanHouse. "I have tried to just brush it off as a mere pre-fight ploy, but I think they have gone overboard."
Arum believes that the Golden Boy Promotions still is bitter about developments from 2006, when Pacquiao chose to go with Top Rank over their company after signing contracts with each.
Arum sued Golden Boy after discovering that its president, Oscar De La Hoya, had given Pacquiao a $250,000 signing bonus. Later, an arbitrator split Pacquiao evenly between the two, but Top Rank remains his primary promoter.
"[A Philippines reporter] said that Schaefer brought up the fact that Pacquiao went with us rather than Golden Boy a number of years ago, and that he was still bitter about that,'" said Arum.
"Manny is absolutely filing a lawsuit. He doesn't know when, he doesn't know where, but he wants me to get him a lawyer, which we will do. If he wants to sue, which he apparently does, he will sue."
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
Pacquiao to sue Mayweathers in doping row -- Reuters
By Ken Ferris, Reuters
MANILA (Reuters) - Manny Pacquiao plans to sue Floyd Mayweather, the American's father and Golden Boy Promotions in the next few days following a row over doping procedures, the Filipino world champion said in a statement on Friday.
"Enough is enough. These people, Mayweather Sr., Jr., and Golden Boy Promotions, think it is a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs," Pacquiao was quoted as saying.
"I have tried to just brush it off as a mere pre-fight ploy but I think they have gone overboard," he added in the statement posted on his official website (www.mpboxing.com).
The WBO welterweight title bout between Mayweather Jr and champion Pacquiao scheduled for next March was called off this week after the American demanded Olympic-style dope testing and Pacquiao said on Friday his reputation had been damaged enough.
"I have instructed my promoter, Bob Arum, head of Top Rank Inc., to help me out in the filing of the case as soon as possible because I have had people coming over to me now asking if I really take performance-enhancing drugs and I have cheated my way into becoming the No. 1 boxer in the world," he said.
"I maintain and assure everyone that I have not used any form or kind of steroids and that my way to the top is a result of hard work, hard work, hard work and a lot of blood spilled from my past battles in the ring, not outside of it."
"I have no idea what steroids look like and my fear in God has kept me safe and victorious through all these years," added the 31-year-old Filipino who has never tested positive.
BLOOD TESTS
Mayweather's camp had called for random blood and urine sampling prior to and after the highly anticipated March 13 fight as mandated by the U.S. Anti Doping Agency.
Pacquiao agreed to have blood taken for testing before the initial media conference and immediately after the fight but would not agree to have blood drawn within 30 days of the bout.
Arum said on Wednesday using blood tests was unprecedented for professional fights in Las Vegas but more extensive testing agreeable to Pacquiao could have been arranged.
"We don't object to more extensive drug testing, even though it's certainly not required in Nevada," he told Reuters.
"What we're saying is that the drug testing he (Mayweather) is proposing is intrusive and would disturb Pacquiao's training if it's done within 30 days of his fight."
Arum had suggested the testing demands by Mayweather were a way of ducking a fight in which Pacquiao was due to defend the World Boxing Organization title he won in November by stopping holder Miguel Cotto in the 12th round in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao (50-3-2) won an unprecedented seventh title in seven weight classes to set up the best pound-for-pound showdown against unbeaten Mayweather (40-0) in what was expected to be among boxing's biggest revenue-producing fights.
(Writing by Ken Ferris in London; Editing by Charles Dick)
Source: reuters.com
MANILA (Reuters) - Manny Pacquiao plans to sue Floyd Mayweather, the American's father and Golden Boy Promotions in the next few days following a row over doping procedures, the Filipino world champion said in a statement on Friday.
"Enough is enough. These people, Mayweather Sr., Jr., and Golden Boy Promotions, think it is a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs," Pacquiao was quoted as saying.
"I have tried to just brush it off as a mere pre-fight ploy but I think they have gone overboard," he added in the statement posted on his official website (www.mpboxing.com).
The WBO welterweight title bout between Mayweather Jr and champion Pacquiao scheduled for next March was called off this week after the American demanded Olympic-style dope testing and Pacquiao said on Friday his reputation had been damaged enough.
"I have instructed my promoter, Bob Arum, head of Top Rank Inc., to help me out in the filing of the case as soon as possible because I have had people coming over to me now asking if I really take performance-enhancing drugs and I have cheated my way into becoming the No. 1 boxer in the world," he said.
"I maintain and assure everyone that I have not used any form or kind of steroids and that my way to the top is a result of hard work, hard work, hard work and a lot of blood spilled from my past battles in the ring, not outside of it."
"I have no idea what steroids look like and my fear in God has kept me safe and victorious through all these years," added the 31-year-old Filipino who has never tested positive.
BLOOD TESTS
Mayweather's camp had called for random blood and urine sampling prior to and after the highly anticipated March 13 fight as mandated by the U.S. Anti Doping Agency.
Pacquiao agreed to have blood taken for testing before the initial media conference and immediately after the fight but would not agree to have blood drawn within 30 days of the bout.
Arum said on Wednesday using blood tests was unprecedented for professional fights in Las Vegas but more extensive testing agreeable to Pacquiao could have been arranged.
"We don't object to more extensive drug testing, even though it's certainly not required in Nevada," he told Reuters.
"What we're saying is that the drug testing he (Mayweather) is proposing is intrusive and would disturb Pacquiao's training if it's done within 30 days of his fight."
Arum had suggested the testing demands by Mayweather were a way of ducking a fight in which Pacquiao was due to defend the World Boxing Organization title he won in November by stopping holder Miguel Cotto in the 12th round in Las Vegas.
Pacquiao (50-3-2) won an unprecedented seventh title in seven weight classes to set up the best pound-for-pound showdown against unbeaten Mayweather (40-0) in what was expected to be among boxing's biggest revenue-producing fights.
(Writing by Ken Ferris in London; Editing by Charles Dick)
Source: reuters.com
Pacquiao Should Dump Mayweather and Move On -- Eastside Boxing
By Paul Strauss, Eastside Boxing
There's nothing new under the sun. It's not unusual in the least for certain types to make wild charges or allegations, and hope they're repeated enough to cause confusion and belief on the part of the naive. Mayweather and his clan are of that ilk. More often than not they get away with their "ullbay itshay". Their hope is some will stick to the proverbial wall. This time Manny and Freddie ought to call their bluff and leave them hanging without the big purse. If the kings of dysfunction really want the fight, they should be made to grovel in reality for it.. The latest out of the PacMan camp is that Manny has asked Bob Arum to help him initiate a law suit against the Mayweather clan. Hooray!!! I hope he wins big; although, it is very difficult to do so. Just ask all the celebrities that have been maligned by the supermarket rags.
If you want to attach any validity to monopoly money's malarkey, then you should immediately stop here, pass goal and submit yourself to examination for admittance to the Liar's and Major Fabricator's Club. Acceptance is assured because you're so far gone the examination will be just a formality. Enjoy your mandatory babble time, and may your ears not turn into cauliflower and fall off from the assault.
However, if you have a sound mind and are capable of listening to reason you should continue reading. The fact is all of the important stuff has already been said concerning the ridiculousness of Mayweather's charges (throw Paulie Malignaggi in there too) and supposed concerns, so let's not pound on the departed equine. Rather, let's think about how much we will enjoy seeing the discomfort Freddie and Manny (and Bob Arum) can inflict on the money troubled pipsqueak from the desert. Hit him where it hurts the most........i.e. obtain a judgment and add to his already (rumored) mounting debts and deprive him of hope for his biggest payday
Sure fans would love to see the fight, and why not. It matches the current P4P versus the former P4P. Most fans drool over the possibility of PacMan whupping up some CPA on the little money (al) ledger. Fans want to see Manny close the mouth that roars, and also shut up the rest of the pride. The fight would definitely be a fitting conclusion to a great career for Manny. But, beating Oscar, Ricky and Cotto, plus a host of others is not bad either.
Does he really need "The Root of All Evil"? Manny's already great in the minds of boxing fans. It's hard to imagine he could become any greater. His elevated place in the boxing hall(s) of fame is already permanently edged. Let's let Manny know we want him to win, but if it's only in court, then so be it. That is enough! Let us enjoy watching Empty Pockets face reality and squirm trying to make another big fight that will bring in as much $. Good luck! He can continue to act the fool all he wants, but he will soon find out who is really the draw.
Most fans would love to see Manny fight on and on, and keep amazing them with his skill and talent. But most also understand Manny doesn't need to prove anything more than he already has done. If we really care about this great little big man, then let's encourage him to hang it up and move on to all of the other things he enjoys doing, such as charity work, movies, music and politics. Right now he is in a prime position to move on to greater heights in all of those areas. He doesn't need any small change from Vegas.
By the way, those people who stopped reading earlier, you know the ones who think Mayweather's tactics are subtle genius and clever manipulation of the media, well they ought to quit taking pharmaceuticals themselves. They think his antics are subtle just like Don King's hairdo! They think he's a genius just like they think rap is poetic. They think he's clever and a protector of the game just like they believe Al Gore and Obama deserve their Nobel. It's a good thing they're no longer reading, because if they were, it would be necessary to relate to them on the cartoon level and remind them what Bugs used to say in Looney Toons: "What a Ma'roon!!!!"
Source: eastsideboxing.com
There's nothing new under the sun. It's not unusual in the least for certain types to make wild charges or allegations, and hope they're repeated enough to cause confusion and belief on the part of the naive. Mayweather and his clan are of that ilk. More often than not they get away with their "ullbay itshay". Their hope is some will stick to the proverbial wall. This time Manny and Freddie ought to call their bluff and leave them hanging without the big purse. If the kings of dysfunction really want the fight, they should be made to grovel in reality for it.. The latest out of the PacMan camp is that Manny has asked Bob Arum to help him initiate a law suit against the Mayweather clan. Hooray!!! I hope he wins big; although, it is very difficult to do so. Just ask all the celebrities that have been maligned by the supermarket rags.
If you want to attach any validity to monopoly money's malarkey, then you should immediately stop here, pass goal and submit yourself to examination for admittance to the Liar's and Major Fabricator's Club. Acceptance is assured because you're so far gone the examination will be just a formality. Enjoy your mandatory babble time, and may your ears not turn into cauliflower and fall off from the assault.
However, if you have a sound mind and are capable of listening to reason you should continue reading. The fact is all of the important stuff has already been said concerning the ridiculousness of Mayweather's charges (throw Paulie Malignaggi in there too) and supposed concerns, so let's not pound on the departed equine. Rather, let's think about how much we will enjoy seeing the discomfort Freddie and Manny (and Bob Arum) can inflict on the money troubled pipsqueak from the desert. Hit him where it hurts the most........i.e. obtain a judgment and add to his already (rumored) mounting debts and deprive him of hope for his biggest payday
Sure fans would love to see the fight, and why not. It matches the current P4P versus the former P4P. Most fans drool over the possibility of PacMan whupping up some CPA on the little money (al) ledger. Fans want to see Manny close the mouth that roars, and also shut up the rest of the pride. The fight would definitely be a fitting conclusion to a great career for Manny. But, beating Oscar, Ricky and Cotto, plus a host of others is not bad either.
Does he really need "The Root of All Evil"? Manny's already great in the minds of boxing fans. It's hard to imagine he could become any greater. His elevated place in the boxing hall(s) of fame is already permanently edged. Let's let Manny know we want him to win, but if it's only in court, then so be it. That is enough! Let us enjoy watching Empty Pockets face reality and squirm trying to make another big fight that will bring in as much $. Good luck! He can continue to act the fool all he wants, but he will soon find out who is really the draw.
Most fans would love to see Manny fight on and on, and keep amazing them with his skill and talent. But most also understand Manny doesn't need to prove anything more than he already has done. If we really care about this great little big man, then let's encourage him to hang it up and move on to all of the other things he enjoys doing, such as charity work, movies, music and politics. Right now he is in a prime position to move on to greater heights in all of those areas. He doesn't need any small change from Vegas.
By the way, those people who stopped reading earlier, you know the ones who think Mayweather's tactics are subtle genius and clever manipulation of the media, well they ought to quit taking pharmaceuticals themselves. They think his antics are subtle just like Don King's hairdo! They think he's a genius just like they think rap is poetic. They think he's clever and a protector of the game just like they believe Al Gore and Obama deserve their Nobel. It's a good thing they're no longer reading, because if they were, it would be necessary to relate to them on the cartoon level and remind them what Bugs used to say in Looney Toons: "What a Ma'roon!!!!"
Source: eastsideboxing.com
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