By David Mayo, The Grand Rapids Press
The one remaining issue in the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao negotiations has bloomed into several, although an arbiter will attempt to resolve them Tuesday in a last-gasp effort to save the proposed March 13 fight.
These are the key issues that could be discussed as representatives for both fighters, the attorney representing Pacquiao, and a retired federal judge who will attempt to help find middle ground, prepare to meet in suburban Los Angeles:
1. Drug testing
As the central issue of the hearing in his office at Santa Monica, Calif., arbiter Daniel Weinstein will have to resolve whether there is sufficient reason to suggest drug testing beyond that typically administered by the Nevada Athletic Commission for fights in that state.
The Mayweather camp's demand for random, Olympic-style drug testing, via blood sampling, stalled a negotiation that seemed fast-tracked for completion by mid-December.
All other key issues -- money, weight, venue -- were resolved quickly.
When the Mayweather side upped the ante by suggesting NAC's urine testing was not comprehensive enough, it sparked a firestorm which has lingered for more than three weeks and threatens to undermine the fight.
Pacquiao balked at blood testing within 30 days of the fight, saying it would weaken him, even though experts in the field say that's absurd. His reluctance spawned bountiful speculation about why he didn't just accept the terms.
Mayweather refused to relent, however, which drew the ire of boxing fans who want to see the deal come to completion and don't believe special rules are necessary for this fight.
2. Contrition
Bob Arum, Pacquiao's promoter, said last week that his side wants an apology from the Mayweather side before going forward. He said the Filipino fighter's reputation has been irreparably tarnished by the Mayweather side's insinuation -- and in at least one case, an outright accusal -- that Pacquaio uses performance-enhancing drugs.
As to who actually made such accusation, Floyd Mayweather Sr. absolutely did, while others may or may not have. That's up to a court to decide, since Pacquiao filed a federal lawsuit to that end just last week.
If the drug-testing issue itself can be worked out, a relatively tepid statement by the Mayweather camp that it regrets the way this all went down is not out of the question.
After all, there are $40 million or so, give or take, for each fighter to gross in this extravaganza.
3. A settlement
If Pacquiao gets some bend from the Mayweather camp on the drug-testing issue and the apologhy demand, he will have to drop the lawsuit.
The action was brought last Wednesday, in a Nevada federal court, seeking unspecified damages in excess of $75,000 (the minimum amount required in such a filing), with defendants Mayweather, Mayweather Sr., Roger Mayweather, Mayweather Promotions, and Golden Boy Promotions honchos Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer.
To reach a deal on anything else, the lawsuit has to go away.
4. Weight
Pacquiao got Mayweather to agree to a usurious $10 million contractual penalty for any pound, or fraction thereof, more than 147 pounds that the Grand Rapids native might weigh.
It's an absurd figure, reached with the caveat that Mayweather would get the drug-testing concession he sought.
To make the drug-testing issue go away, the excessive weight penalty might have to vanish, too.
E-mail David Mayo: dmayo@grpress.com
Source: mlive.com
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