By Lem Satterfield, FanHouse
The status with what could be the most lucrative boxing match in history, tentatively slated for March 13 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas between five-time champion, Floyd Mayweather, and seven-division king, Manny Pacquiao, still was unclear following Tuesday's nearly nine-hour, mediation meeting between the fighters' representatives and retired federal judge, Daniel Weinstein.
Top Rank Promotions CEO Bob Arum, and his stepson, Top Rank president, Todd duBoef, were among the first to emerge from the session, which took place at Weinstein's Santa Monica office of Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services (JAMS).
Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, indicated to FanHouse's on-site columnist, David Whitley, that the parties were instructed by Weinstein not to comment.
Later, Oscar De La Hoya, president of Golden Boy Promotions, and Golden Boy CEO, Richard Schaefer, emerged with others.
"No comment, no comment," said De La Hoya. "By the judges order, no comment."
A gag order is in place for the participants of the meeting, which began at 9:30 a.m. and ended shortly before Arum and duBoef emerged at approximately 6:10 p.m.
One source, with knowledge of the talks, said, "The negotiations are ongoing."
It is unclear if that means that the parties will return and resume talks on Wednesday or not.
Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 knockouts) has filed a defamation of character lawsuit seeking damages in excess of $75,000, contending that the camp of Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) has damaged his reputation by demanding that both fighters be randomly drug-tested using urinalysis as well as blood work.
The suit was filed on Wednesday filed a lawsuit on behalf of Pacquiao seeking compensatory and punitive damages from Schaefer and De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions, as well as Floyd Mayweather Jr., Floyd Mayweather Sr., and the fighter's uncle, Roger Mayweather.
Mayweather's camp, which Pacquiao says has accused him of using steroids, initially wanted the Olympic-style, random blood-testing to be done by the United States Anti-Doping Agency, but has softened its stance on that notion.
Neither Pacquiao, nor Mayweather has ever tested positive for any banned substances, but the blood-testing procedure -- random or otherwise -- never has been used to detect illegal drug use in boxing.
Source: boxing.fanhouse.com
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