By David Mayo, The Grand Rapids Press
LAS VEGAS -- Floyd Mayweather reiterated a stance that couldn’t be clearer Saturday night: If Manny Pacquiao is willing to submit to Olympic-style drug testing, they can fight next.
Otherwise, no fight.
Mayweather’s position of the last several months did not change one iota in the aftermath of his dominant 12-round unanimous decision over Shane Mosley at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
“If Manny Pacquiao wants to fight, it’s not hard to find me,” Mayweather said. “We were going to make the fight a couple of months back but it didn’t happen.
“I take my hat off to Mosley. He had problems in the past but he’s a warrior. He took the blood and urine tests. I just want everyone to be on an even playing field.”
The reference was to Mosley using steroids in 2003, which he disclosed in grand-jury testimony related to the BALCO investigation, information which became public after a federal judge ruled that lawyers for former baseball player Barry Bonds should have access to previously sealed testimony.
Several members of the Mayweather camp have openly expressed suspicions that Pacquiao has used performance-enhancing drugs.
Their inability to reach agreement on drug testing ultimately doomed their proposed March 13 fight. Pacquiao fought, and defeated, Joshua Clottey on that date instead.
“If every athlete is clean in the sport of boxing, take the test,” Mayweather said. “I take the test. If Manny Pacquiao takes the blood and urine tests, we can fight. If he doesn’t we won’t make the fight.
“Everybody’s entitled to their own fight. I will continue to fight the best out there. Floyd Mayweather wants to fight everyone on an even plane. That’s all I asked.”
Mayweather defeated Mosley by a widespread margin, winning 11-1 in rounds on two judges’ scorecards, and 10-2 on the third. Robert Hoyle gave Mosley the first two rounds. All three judges gave Mosley the second round, when two knee-buckling right hands hurt Mayweather worse than he has ever been hurt in his career.
“This is a contact sport and that comes with boxing,” Mayweather said. “Sometimes you get with some shots, you have to suck it up and be a warrior. He’s a future Hall of Famer, I’m a future Hall of Famer.”
Mosley said that punch might have been his undoing, in some ways.
“I think after I caught him with that big right hand, I opened up too much and played into his hands,” Mosley said. “I was too tight. When I hit him with the big right hand, I thought I was going to get the knockout. He started to avoid the punches. He did surprise me. Once I tried to get my timing back, I couldn’t adjust and he did. I am happy I took the fight. He is a true champion.
“Now, you will see him and Manny -- if Manny takes the blood test.”
E-mail David Mayo: dmayo@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/David_Mayo
Source: mlive.com
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