The Associated Press
Manny Pacquiao's promoters say his prospective bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr has been abandoned after mediation talks failed to resolve differences over drug testing.
The bout, likely to have been for the biggest purse in boxing history, was slated for 13 March at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, but Top Rank said it couldn't reach an agreement with Golden Boy Promotions, which represented Mayweather in the negotiations, after nine hours of talks on Tuesday and further discussions yesterday.
Although both sides were prevented from publicly airing the specifics of the dispute, Mayweather apparently balked at a compromise over the stringent drug-testing requirements his camp had insisted upon.
"I knew this was going to happen," said a weary Bob Arum, Pacquiao's promoter. "You had to play it out."
Golden Boy's chief executive, Richard Schaefer, and Mayweather's advisor Leonard Ellerbe did not return requests to elaborate.
The promoters went into the lengthy mediation process on Tuesday. Both sides claimed every other detail for the fight had been decided but Mayweather had demanded random blood testing in addition to unlimited urine testing, with Pacquiao unwilling to agree to the stipulation.
The fighters' representatives apparently thought they had a compromise after the mediation and were expected to announce the bout formally yesterday – but subsequent discussions with Mayweather during the day led Top Rank to announce the fight had been cancelled.
Arum was left fuming by Mayweather, who fought under Top Rank promotion for several years. "I've been saying this for years: He's a psychological coward who doesn't want to fight anybody who has a chance of beating him," hesaid. "He walked away from a rematch with Oscar [De La Hoya] that would have paid him a fortune because De La Hoya held him close in the first fight [in May 2007]."
After stellar pay-per-view numbers from their previous fights, both Pacquiao and Mayweather stood to make more than £16m from the welterweight bout. Mayweather returned to the ring after a 21-month absence in September with a victory over Juan Manuel Márquez, while Pacquiao defeated Miguel Cotto in November for his 13th victory in succession since 2005.
Mayweather initially appeared eager to fight Pacquiao in a bout between two contenders for the title of pound-for-pound champion of the world. Both fighters quickly agreed to the initial points of a deal, with the fight scheduled for March so it wouldn't interfere with Pacquiao's run for political office in the Philippines.
But Schaefer then infuriated Top Rank by refusing to travel to a meeting with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who offered to pay lavishly to hold the fight in the NFL team's new stadium. Schaefer's actions, apparently at Mayweather's behest, meant the fight went to the MGM Grand in Mayweather's adopted home town.
After Mayweather went public with his requests for drug testing that went beyond the standards of the Nevada Athletic Commission, Pacquiao filed a lawsuit last week alleging Mayweather and his camp had defamed him by accusing him of using performance-enhancing drugs. That led to the talks, which apparently produced a solution acceptable to everybody except Mayweather, according to Arum.
Arum said there's "no chance ever of salvaging it for March, no chance for it ever to happen".
"No deal was reached and Manny is moving on," the communications expert Fred Sternburg said on behalf of Arum. He plans to propose a mid-March bout with the WBA super welterweight champion, Yuri Foreman, to Pacquiao, who could become a champion in his eighth weight class.
Source: guardian.co.uk
Thursday 7 January 2010
The case for Manny Pacquiao -- Eastside Boxing
By Luke Orem, Eastside Boxing
I have noticed a decent amount of people still siding with Floyd Mayweather Jr. on the issue of random drug testing being a part of this fight. Let’s look at it from a different perspective than “Floyd asked many to take a drug test and he refused.” That is where some of the fans are shutting their brains off and placing the blame. There is much more to this story than a guy being scared of needles and trying to hide steroid abuse.
Some have said that giving a couple of tablespoons before a fight is irrelevant, they say the doctors all agree that it will not affect an athlete, and there is no reason to fear it. Now in 2005 Manny Pacquiao went on television and gave an interview claiming that giving blood prior to his first fight with Erik Morales caused him to lose power and he wasn’t able to deliver shots like he hoped.. All of us have bad experiences, and we all search for the causes and excuses and try to avoid them. Our brains develop patterns. If you get in a car crash and you were talking on your cell phone when it happened, I am positive you would be the last person caught using a cell phone in a car again. We all know Manny did not handle his loss to Morales well and Manny probably needs an excuse to make sure that doesn’t happen again. So when Manny Pacquiao says in 2009 that he doesn’t want to give blood right before the fight, we have to assume he feels strongly that there is a good reason for it. I think anyone who is walking around dehydrated and starving is not going to be first in line at a blood bank for obvious reasons.
Another major point is that Manny has a ridiculous penalty of $10,000,000 per pound weighed over the contracted agreement. Is this a fair negotiation when you’re refusing to random blood testing? I think this clause is the direct result of Floyd Mayweather coming in at 146 against Marquez, a much smaller fighter than himself, during their fight in September. This penalty only affects Floyd if he comes in over the limit. There is no weight checking police being brought in, there is no diet Floyd must have approved, and there is no one checking in on him to keep him honest. I think it is perfectly acceptable to charge as much as you want from a boxer who breaks a contract. Keep this point in mind for later when I offer what I think is a good compromise for this entire situation.
Now, many people think that Manny should just accept the drug testing standards and fight for his projected $40,000,000. This isn’t a compromise, this is a concession. We know Manny has offered multiple alternatives to the proposed USADA drug testing, such as 3 scheduled blood draws, or the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s request for blood whenever they deem necessary. People argue that the NSAC doesn’t draw blood as they don’t think it is necessary, but if they aren’t going to do it now, then we can’t plan on any fights in the future requiring it. This is not an attempt to fix a broken drug policy in the sport of boxing. This is an attempt to make sure Manny stays clean for the fight. I think Floyd is accusing Manny without accusing him. He is implying he doesn’t feel what Manny Pacquiao has done in boxing can be achieved naturally, and he wants proof that he did. This is why there is a lawsuit pending and why the fight is at a stalemate. Manny Pacquiao is a national hero and does not want his name linked to steroids and does not want to be accused of cheating to reach his status. I think it’s fair to say that Manny has a good point in being offended by the drug testing and I think he has a right to be concerned about the manner in which Floyd is trying to implement it. Shane Mosley was asked to take random blood tests in preparations for a fight with Zab Judah and Richard Schaefer, the same man who proposed this testing, told them that “Shane is not a cheater and doesn’t deserve to be treated like one.” That, coupled with the dislike of giving blood leading up to the fight, is why Manny seems to be honest in his desire to keep his blood in his body.
I believe the solution for all of this lies in the very penalty which most people think is so ridiculous. I would think if the Mayweather camp could drop the 24/7 random testing until the minute before the fight, and negotiate some sort of time table and cut-off date with random tests, it would be perfectly reasonable to insert a stipulation in the contract that if in any test that Manny or Floyd are found to have steroids or illegal substances in their system, the penalty would be half of their purse, if the other fighter would agree to still fight. I think it is unfair to say that Mayweather is any less capable of taking an enhancing drug just because his camp is the one requesting the blood testing. We should treat the advantage of steroids as the same advantage from coming into a fight and not making weight. If we could see a reasonable compromise for this entire situation, I think every fan could rejoice and get ready for the first mega fight of this magnitude since Hearns/Leonard.
Source: eastsideboxing.com
I have noticed a decent amount of people still siding with Floyd Mayweather Jr. on the issue of random drug testing being a part of this fight. Let’s look at it from a different perspective than “Floyd asked many to take a drug test and he refused.” That is where some of the fans are shutting their brains off and placing the blame. There is much more to this story than a guy being scared of needles and trying to hide steroid abuse.
Some have said that giving a couple of tablespoons before a fight is irrelevant, they say the doctors all agree that it will not affect an athlete, and there is no reason to fear it. Now in 2005 Manny Pacquiao went on television and gave an interview claiming that giving blood prior to his first fight with Erik Morales caused him to lose power and he wasn’t able to deliver shots like he hoped.. All of us have bad experiences, and we all search for the causes and excuses and try to avoid them. Our brains develop patterns. If you get in a car crash and you were talking on your cell phone when it happened, I am positive you would be the last person caught using a cell phone in a car again. We all know Manny did not handle his loss to Morales well and Manny probably needs an excuse to make sure that doesn’t happen again. So when Manny Pacquiao says in 2009 that he doesn’t want to give blood right before the fight, we have to assume he feels strongly that there is a good reason for it. I think anyone who is walking around dehydrated and starving is not going to be first in line at a blood bank for obvious reasons.
Another major point is that Manny has a ridiculous penalty of $10,000,000 per pound weighed over the contracted agreement. Is this a fair negotiation when you’re refusing to random blood testing? I think this clause is the direct result of Floyd Mayweather coming in at 146 against Marquez, a much smaller fighter than himself, during their fight in September. This penalty only affects Floyd if he comes in over the limit. There is no weight checking police being brought in, there is no diet Floyd must have approved, and there is no one checking in on him to keep him honest. I think it is perfectly acceptable to charge as much as you want from a boxer who breaks a contract. Keep this point in mind for later when I offer what I think is a good compromise for this entire situation.
Now, many people think that Manny should just accept the drug testing standards and fight for his projected $40,000,000. This isn’t a compromise, this is a concession. We know Manny has offered multiple alternatives to the proposed USADA drug testing, such as 3 scheduled blood draws, or the Nevada State Athletic Commission’s request for blood whenever they deem necessary. People argue that the NSAC doesn’t draw blood as they don’t think it is necessary, but if they aren’t going to do it now, then we can’t plan on any fights in the future requiring it. This is not an attempt to fix a broken drug policy in the sport of boxing. This is an attempt to make sure Manny stays clean for the fight. I think Floyd is accusing Manny without accusing him. He is implying he doesn’t feel what Manny Pacquiao has done in boxing can be achieved naturally, and he wants proof that he did. This is why there is a lawsuit pending and why the fight is at a stalemate. Manny Pacquiao is a national hero and does not want his name linked to steroids and does not want to be accused of cheating to reach his status. I think it’s fair to say that Manny has a good point in being offended by the drug testing and I think he has a right to be concerned about the manner in which Floyd is trying to implement it. Shane Mosley was asked to take random blood tests in preparations for a fight with Zab Judah and Richard Schaefer, the same man who proposed this testing, told them that “Shane is not a cheater and doesn’t deserve to be treated like one.” That, coupled with the dislike of giving blood leading up to the fight, is why Manny seems to be honest in his desire to keep his blood in his body.
I believe the solution for all of this lies in the very penalty which most people think is so ridiculous. I would think if the Mayweather camp could drop the 24/7 random testing until the minute before the fight, and negotiate some sort of time table and cut-off date with random tests, it would be perfectly reasonable to insert a stipulation in the contract that if in any test that Manny or Floyd are found to have steroids or illegal substances in their system, the penalty would be half of their purse, if the other fighter would agree to still fight. I think it is unfair to say that Mayweather is any less capable of taking an enhancing drug just because his camp is the one requesting the blood testing. We should treat the advantage of steroids as the same advantage from coming into a fight and not making weight. If we could see a reasonable compromise for this entire situation, I think every fan could rejoice and get ready for the first mega fight of this magnitude since Hearns/Leonard.
Source: eastsideboxing.com
Arum: 'The fight's off' -- ESPN
By Dan Rafael, ESPN.com
The much-anticipated showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, tentatively scheduled for March 13 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, has collapsed, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN.com on Wednesday night.
"The fight's off," Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, said from Las Vegas.
The fight died after a last-ditch attempt at mediation between Top Rank and Golden Boy, which represents Mayweather, failed in an effort to determine the drug testing protocol.
The fight died after a last-ditch attempt at mediation failed in an effort to determine the drug testing protocol.
Pacquiao had agreed to move off his hard-line stance of refusing a blood test inside 30 days before the fight, but Mayweather wouldn't budge off his desire for random testing all the way until the fight, Arum said. Nor would Mayweather agree to a public apology for remarks he made accusing Pacquiao of using performance-enhancing drugs, Arum said.
"I am very disappointed that we could not make this fight for the fans and I am angered because of the false accusations from Golden Boy and the Mayweather camp that I used some type of drugs, and that is why I have instructed our American lawyers to proceed with the lawsuit to clear my name," Pacquiao said in a statement.
Arum said Pacquiao would move on and likely fight junior middleweight titlist Yuri Foreman on March 13 or March 20.
The fight was to have been on HBO PPV, a sure blockbuster many believed would break the all-time pay-per-view record of 2.44 million buys set by Mayweather's 2007 fight with Oscar De La Hoya, who owns Golden Boy Promotions. But Arum said he had informed HBO PPV boss Mark Taffet that the fight was off.
Had the fight done the monster numbers organizers expected, it would have likely generated in the neighborhood of $200 million with the fighters receiving in roughly $40 million apiece.
Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy and the point person for the company on the negotiations, did not return multiple messages.
The sides had negotiated every point of the deal except for the drug testing procedures. The fighters agreed to unlimited random urine testing, but Mayweather insisted on random blood testing as well, even though the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which would regulate the fight, requires only urine testing.
Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) didn't want any blood testing but had agreed to take three blood tests: one during the week of the kickoff news conference, which would have taken place next week, one random test to be conducted no later than 30 days before the fight and a final test in his dressing room after the fight. Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) would have been subject to the same testing procedures.
When they could not come to an agreement on the drug testing, they enlisted the aid of a mediator, retired judge Daniel Weinstein, who successfully mediated a series of disputes between Top Rank and Golden Boy, which represents Mayweather, in June of 2007. At the center of the problem was ownership of the promotional rights to Pacquiao, who had signed contracts with both companies before eventually pledging his loyalty to Top Rank. Under the settlement, Top Rank got Pacquiao's contract with Golden Boy retaining a small percentage.
With lawyers at their side, Top Rank's Arum, company president Todd duBoef, Golden Boy's Schaefer and De La Hoya, along with Mayweather adviser Al Haymon, spent nine hours in mediation on Tuesday in Santa Monica, Calif.
The sides struck a deal during the marathon session Tuesday, but it was contingent on getting the fighters to sign off, Arum said.
On Wednesday, they were back in their offices -- Golden Boy in Los Angeles and Top Rank in Las Vegas -- and worked the phones with their clients while still under Weinstein's gag order not to talk to the media.
Arum said Pacquiao agreed to ease his demands on the drug testing window but Mayweather wouldn't.
Arum said Pacquiao agreed to shorten the window for a blood test to 24 days before the fight. In order to receive a Nevada boxing license, Pacquiao took the standard annual blood test 24 days before his May 2009 fight with Ricky Hatton.
"Manny accepted what was on the table and Mayweather rejected it," Arum said. "Haymon and Schaefer tired to convince Floyd all [Tuesday night] and [Wednesday] and he wouldn't agree to it. He didn't want the fight. He never wanted the fight. I always knew the fight wouldn't happen."
The drug testing became a major issue when Floyd Mayweather Sr., the father of the fighter, made several public remarks accusing Pacquiao of using performance-enhancing drugs without a shred of proof. Mayweather Jr. later made similar remarks about him using PEDs, even though Pacquiao denies it and has never failed a drug test.
"When the fight was offered, Manny accepted it with no hesitation," Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz told ESPN.com from the Philippines, where he was with Pacquiao. "We're not surprised. We saw this coming once they started this drug bull----. It was a way for them to get out of the fight. I don't think Mayweather expected Manny to accept the challenge so quickly."
The accusations led Pacquiao to file a defamation lawsuit last week in Nevada U.S. District Court against Mayweather Jr., Schaefer, Golden Boy president De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Sr., Roger Mayweather and Mayweather Promotions.
"The guys who should be most disappointed in the fight being off are Schaefer and De La Hoya because they went along with this guy [Mayweather] and ended up with gatz and a big lawsuit," Arum said.
Said Koncz: "We agreed to move the drug testing to 24 days under the supervision of the Nevada commission and Mayweather still wouldn't budge. So now what we've done is give up maybe $40 million to take a stand for Manny's principles. We will proceed with the lawsuit in an effort to clear his name and tarnished image. Even if they make a public apology it's not enough. Now they'll have to prove to a judge that Manny is on drugs, which they won't be able to do because he's not. Manny is pissed off because he feels Floyd is a chicken and because he tarnished his reputation. This is about principle. We have nothing to hide."
Golden Boy also risks losing its share in Pacquiao's contract, Arum said.
They also risk losing their share in Pacquiao's contract, Arum said.
"There's an arbitration which calls for them to lose any percentage of Manny's promotional contract, something we asked for and had postponed, but now it will go forward," Arum said. "We did that two weeks ago before Manny filed his lawsuit. It's binding arbitration. Our request was for Golden Boy to forfeit its interest in Pacquiao's contract based on the fact that they had demeaned Pacquiao with their remarks [alleging he used PEDs] and that it violated the [2007] agreement between Pacquiao, Top Rank and Golden Boy."
Arum now plans on moving forward with Pacquiao facing Foreman, who won his 154-pound title on the Nov. 14 undercard of Pacquiao's 12th-round knockout of Miguel Cotto to win a welterweight belt. Pacquiao would move up in weight to try to win a title in his eighth division. Pacquiao already holds the record, having won titles in seven divisions.
Mayweather could also still fight on another date in March, potentially against former junior welterweight titlist Paulie Malignaggi.
"We're going to talk to the MGM because they're out of a fight," Arum said.
Arum added that the fight could also wind up at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas or perhaps in Dallas, where Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made a strong pitch to bring Pacquiao-Mayweather to his new stadium.
Dan Rafael covers boxing for ESPN.com.
Source: sports.espn.go.com
The much-anticipated showdown between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, tentatively scheduled for March 13 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, has collapsed, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum told ESPN.com on Wednesday night.
"The fight's off," Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, said from Las Vegas.
The fight died after a last-ditch attempt at mediation between Top Rank and Golden Boy, which represents Mayweather, failed in an effort to determine the drug testing protocol.
The fight died after a last-ditch attempt at mediation failed in an effort to determine the drug testing protocol.
Pacquiao had agreed to move off his hard-line stance of refusing a blood test inside 30 days before the fight, but Mayweather wouldn't budge off his desire for random testing all the way until the fight, Arum said. Nor would Mayweather agree to a public apology for remarks he made accusing Pacquiao of using performance-enhancing drugs, Arum said.
"I am very disappointed that we could not make this fight for the fans and I am angered because of the false accusations from Golden Boy and the Mayweather camp that I used some type of drugs, and that is why I have instructed our American lawyers to proceed with the lawsuit to clear my name," Pacquiao said in a statement.
Arum said Pacquiao would move on and likely fight junior middleweight titlist Yuri Foreman on March 13 or March 20.
The fight was to have been on HBO PPV, a sure blockbuster many believed would break the all-time pay-per-view record of 2.44 million buys set by Mayweather's 2007 fight with Oscar De La Hoya, who owns Golden Boy Promotions. But Arum said he had informed HBO PPV boss Mark Taffet that the fight was off.
Had the fight done the monster numbers organizers expected, it would have likely generated in the neighborhood of $200 million with the fighters receiving in roughly $40 million apiece.
Richard Schaefer, the CEO of Golden Boy and the point person for the company on the negotiations, did not return multiple messages.
The sides had negotiated every point of the deal except for the drug testing procedures. The fighters agreed to unlimited random urine testing, but Mayweather insisted on random blood testing as well, even though the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which would regulate the fight, requires only urine testing.
Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) didn't want any blood testing but had agreed to take three blood tests: one during the week of the kickoff news conference, which would have taken place next week, one random test to be conducted no later than 30 days before the fight and a final test in his dressing room after the fight. Mayweather (40-0, 25 KOs) would have been subject to the same testing procedures.
When they could not come to an agreement on the drug testing, they enlisted the aid of a mediator, retired judge Daniel Weinstein, who successfully mediated a series of disputes between Top Rank and Golden Boy, which represents Mayweather, in June of 2007. At the center of the problem was ownership of the promotional rights to Pacquiao, who had signed contracts with both companies before eventually pledging his loyalty to Top Rank. Under the settlement, Top Rank got Pacquiao's contract with Golden Boy retaining a small percentage.
With lawyers at their side, Top Rank's Arum, company president Todd duBoef, Golden Boy's Schaefer and De La Hoya, along with Mayweather adviser Al Haymon, spent nine hours in mediation on Tuesday in Santa Monica, Calif.
The sides struck a deal during the marathon session Tuesday, but it was contingent on getting the fighters to sign off, Arum said.
On Wednesday, they were back in their offices -- Golden Boy in Los Angeles and Top Rank in Las Vegas -- and worked the phones with their clients while still under Weinstein's gag order not to talk to the media.
Arum said Pacquiao agreed to ease his demands on the drug testing window but Mayweather wouldn't.
Arum said Pacquiao agreed to shorten the window for a blood test to 24 days before the fight. In order to receive a Nevada boxing license, Pacquiao took the standard annual blood test 24 days before his May 2009 fight with Ricky Hatton.
"Manny accepted what was on the table and Mayweather rejected it," Arum said. "Haymon and Schaefer tired to convince Floyd all [Tuesday night] and [Wednesday] and he wouldn't agree to it. He didn't want the fight. He never wanted the fight. I always knew the fight wouldn't happen."
The drug testing became a major issue when Floyd Mayweather Sr., the father of the fighter, made several public remarks accusing Pacquiao of using performance-enhancing drugs without a shred of proof. Mayweather Jr. later made similar remarks about him using PEDs, even though Pacquiao denies it and has never failed a drug test.
"When the fight was offered, Manny accepted it with no hesitation," Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz told ESPN.com from the Philippines, where he was with Pacquiao. "We're not surprised. We saw this coming once they started this drug bull----. It was a way for them to get out of the fight. I don't think Mayweather expected Manny to accept the challenge so quickly."
The accusations led Pacquiao to file a defamation lawsuit last week in Nevada U.S. District Court against Mayweather Jr., Schaefer, Golden Boy president De La Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Sr., Roger Mayweather and Mayweather Promotions.
"The guys who should be most disappointed in the fight being off are Schaefer and De La Hoya because they went along with this guy [Mayweather] and ended up with gatz and a big lawsuit," Arum said.
Said Koncz: "We agreed to move the drug testing to 24 days under the supervision of the Nevada commission and Mayweather still wouldn't budge. So now what we've done is give up maybe $40 million to take a stand for Manny's principles. We will proceed with the lawsuit in an effort to clear his name and tarnished image. Even if they make a public apology it's not enough. Now they'll have to prove to a judge that Manny is on drugs, which they won't be able to do because he's not. Manny is pissed off because he feels Floyd is a chicken and because he tarnished his reputation. This is about principle. We have nothing to hide."
Golden Boy also risks losing its share in Pacquiao's contract, Arum said.
They also risk losing their share in Pacquiao's contract, Arum said.
"There's an arbitration which calls for them to lose any percentage of Manny's promotional contract, something we asked for and had postponed, but now it will go forward," Arum said. "We did that two weeks ago before Manny filed his lawsuit. It's binding arbitration. Our request was for Golden Boy to forfeit its interest in Pacquiao's contract based on the fact that they had demeaned Pacquiao with their remarks [alleging he used PEDs] and that it violated the [2007] agreement between Pacquiao, Top Rank and Golden Boy."
Arum now plans on moving forward with Pacquiao facing Foreman, who won his 154-pound title on the Nov. 14 undercard of Pacquiao's 12th-round knockout of Miguel Cotto to win a welterweight belt. Pacquiao would move up in weight to try to win a title in his eighth division. Pacquiao already holds the record, having won titles in seven divisions.
Mayweather could also still fight on another date in March, potentially against former junior welterweight titlist Paulie Malignaggi.
"We're going to talk to the MGM because they're out of a fight," Arum said.
Arum added that the fight could also wind up at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas or perhaps in Dallas, where Cowboys owner Jerry Jones made a strong pitch to bring Pacquiao-Mayweather to his new stadium.
Dan Rafael covers boxing for ESPN.com.
Source: sports.espn.go.com
Pacquiao promoter: "The fight's off, Mayweather never wanted it" -- Los Angeles Times
By Lance Pugmire, Los Angeles Times
The epic fight that could have taken boxing back to its massive popularity of years ago is not going to happen, Manny Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum said Wednesday night.
Arum has erupted with the angered announcement that "the fight's off" before in the contentious negotiation to stage a welterweight super-fight March 13 in Las Vegas between boxing's top pound-for-pound fighter, Pacquiao, and the man he replaced for that mythical honor, the unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr.
This time, however, Arum said he was told the same thing by retired federal judge Daniel Weinstein, who presided over a mediation to resolve points of dispute over the bout's drug-testing protocol Tuesday in Santa Monica.
"The mediator called me [before 8 p.m.] and told me the fight was off," Arum said. "The fight's off, Mayweather never wanted it. Manny wanted the fight. He was agreeable to terms."
A source close to the negotiation but not authorized to speak publicly about the talks said Pacquiao had agreed to submit to a blood test 24 days before the fight -- a concession from his prior stance of no closer than 30 days -- and to another blood draw immediately after the bout.
One source familiar with the negotiation said that offer was then taken to Mayweather, who declined to accept those terms. Another source, however, disputed that description of events, and said the fighters still have time to strike a deal before a "business deadline." Previously, the promoters wanted Pacquiao and Mayweather to star at news conferences in New York and Los Angeles next week.
Arum has said he'll work to arrange an alternate fight for Pacquiao against newly crowned super-welterweight champion Yuri Foreman in March, which would allow the Filipino star to claim a record eighth world title.
Still, the idea that the sport's richest bout ever just slipped away is a devastating blow.
"I am disappointed in the sense this fight will not happen," Arum said. "I'm not surprised. I always knew Mayweather would kill it because he didn't want it. He didn't want to lose."
Efforts to reach several members of the Mayweather camp were not immediately successful.
--Lance Pugmire
Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com
The epic fight that could have taken boxing back to its massive popularity of years ago is not going to happen, Manny Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum said Wednesday night.
Arum has erupted with the angered announcement that "the fight's off" before in the contentious negotiation to stage a welterweight super-fight March 13 in Las Vegas between boxing's top pound-for-pound fighter, Pacquiao, and the man he replaced for that mythical honor, the unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr.
This time, however, Arum said he was told the same thing by retired federal judge Daniel Weinstein, who presided over a mediation to resolve points of dispute over the bout's drug-testing protocol Tuesday in Santa Monica.
"The mediator called me [before 8 p.m.] and told me the fight was off," Arum said. "The fight's off, Mayweather never wanted it. Manny wanted the fight. He was agreeable to terms."
A source close to the negotiation but not authorized to speak publicly about the talks said Pacquiao had agreed to submit to a blood test 24 days before the fight -- a concession from his prior stance of no closer than 30 days -- and to another blood draw immediately after the bout.
One source familiar with the negotiation said that offer was then taken to Mayweather, who declined to accept those terms. Another source, however, disputed that description of events, and said the fighters still have time to strike a deal before a "business deadline." Previously, the promoters wanted Pacquiao and Mayweather to star at news conferences in New York and Los Angeles next week.
Arum has said he'll work to arrange an alternate fight for Pacquiao against newly crowned super-welterweight champion Yuri Foreman in March, which would allow the Filipino star to claim a record eighth world title.
Still, the idea that the sport's richest bout ever just slipped away is a devastating blow.
"I am disappointed in the sense this fight will not happen," Arum said. "I'm not surprised. I always knew Mayweather would kill it because he didn't want it. He didn't want to lose."
Efforts to reach several members of the Mayweather camp were not immediately successful.
--Lance Pugmire
Source: latimesblogs.latimes.com
'The fight is off': Arum blames Mayweather for failed mediation -- USA Today
By Bob Velin, USA TODAY
Two days of mediation and negotiation hoping to save the proposed March 13 megafight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr ended Wednesday with no deal, and Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, said "The fight is off."
"Floyd Mayweather walked away," Arum said by phone late Wednesday night. "The fight's off. Our guy was agreeable, Mayweather wasn't. The fight's off."
Arum said Pacquiao will now look at fighting undefeated Israeli WBA super welterweight champion Yuri Foreman either March 13 or March 20 in Las Vegas. "We're going to check out all the sites tomorrow," Arum said.
Arum said he couldn't discuss the sticking point in the negotiations with retired federal judge Daniel Weinstein in Los Angeles — which Arum said before the mediation began was the drug testing, as well as a demand for an apology from Mayweather's side for saying that Pacquiao had taken performance-enhancing drugs. But he said, "the fight's off not because of us, not even because of (Mayweather's) people —he was represented by Golden Boy Promotions) — it's because of him personally.
"It's not surprising. I always felt that he wasn't going to do the fight. He knows Manny will beat him. Mayweather's never stepped into the ring with a guy he had any question but that he was going to beat.
"That's why there's never been a (Shane) Mosley, there's never been a (Antonio) Margarito, there never was a (Miguel) Cotto, and there's no Pacquiao.
"Floyd Mayweather is a coward. He will never fight anyone that will remotely give him a tough fight."
Will the fight ever happen?
"No," said Arum. "Here's a guy who, the rematch with (Oscar) De La Hoya was a huge fight, it would've made millions and millions, and he walked away from it.. .. I'm not disappointed in the sense that I always knew it was going to be this way."
Source: usatoday.com
Two days of mediation and negotiation hoping to save the proposed March 13 megafight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr ended Wednesday with no deal, and Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, said "The fight is off."
"Floyd Mayweather walked away," Arum said by phone late Wednesday night. "The fight's off. Our guy was agreeable, Mayweather wasn't. The fight's off."
Arum said Pacquiao will now look at fighting undefeated Israeli WBA super welterweight champion Yuri Foreman either March 13 or March 20 in Las Vegas. "We're going to check out all the sites tomorrow," Arum said.
Arum said he couldn't discuss the sticking point in the negotiations with retired federal judge Daniel Weinstein in Los Angeles — which Arum said before the mediation began was the drug testing, as well as a demand for an apology from Mayweather's side for saying that Pacquiao had taken performance-enhancing drugs. But he said, "the fight's off not because of us, not even because of (Mayweather's) people —he was represented by Golden Boy Promotions) — it's because of him personally.
"It's not surprising. I always felt that he wasn't going to do the fight. He knows Manny will beat him. Mayweather's never stepped into the ring with a guy he had any question but that he was going to beat.
"That's why there's never been a (Shane) Mosley, there's never been a (Antonio) Margarito, there never was a (Miguel) Cotto, and there's no Pacquiao.
"Floyd Mayweather is a coward. He will never fight anyone that will remotely give him a tough fight."
Will the fight ever happen?
"No," said Arum. "Here's a guy who, the rematch with (Oscar) De La Hoya was a huge fight, it would've made millions and millions, and he walked away from it.. .. I'm not disappointed in the sense that I always knew it was going to be this way."
Source: usatoday.com
Pacquiao-Mayweather bout is off -- Miami Herald
By Sports Network
The proposed mega-fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. is off after both sides couldn't agree to common ground on drug testing following a Tuesday mediation session.
Michael Koncz, Pacquiao's U.S. business advisor, commented on Pacquiao's Web site that "the whole blood testing issue that Mayweather wants from Manny is just a facade to get Mayweather out of this fight."
The bout was set for March 13 in Las Vegas and was likely to be the richest in boxing history.
Earlier, Pacquiao filed a defamation lawsuit against Mayweather and several members of Golden Boy Promotions in a Las Vegas federal court. That was in response to Mayweather's promoter releasing a statement regarding Pacquiao's refusal to undergo Olympic-style blood testing prior to their proposed bout.
The release appeared to insinuate Pacquiao, the current welterweight champion and title holder in seven different weight classes, had taken performance- enhancing drugs in order to reach the pinnacle in the sport, though Pacquiao has repeatedly said he has never tested positive for a banned substance.
"I am very disappointed that we could not make this fight for the fans and I am angered because of the false accusations from Golden Boy and the Mayweather camp that I used some type of drugs and that is why I have instructed our American lawyers to proceed with the lawsuit to clear my name," Pacquiao said in a statement on his Web site. "This is all I have to say at this time."
After the inflammatory remarks, Pacquiao immediately stated he would file suits due to false accusations. The Filipino did so, naming Mayweather, Floyd Mayweather Sr., and promoters Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer as defendants.
The 31-year-old Pacquiao stated he had difficulty taking blood and didn't want to be subjected to random testing within 30 days prior to the fight.
"Manny doesn't need to ever prove anything to his fans," Koncz said on Pacquiao's Web site. "Manny's character stands on it's own. Manny's fans understand his character. Enough is enough and Manny can not and not will bullied inside or outside the ring.
"Right now Manny is terribly disappointed. We did everything the Nevada Athletic Commission regulates. We even went above what we had to and even though it was out of their jurisdiction and we had the Olympic committee take urine samples from Manny home just last week and those samples will be in next week. Manny knows this is the fight of the century. He knows this is what the fans want. Manny will not bow down to these people who think they can just change the rules and make Manny jump through their hoops."
Koncz went out to bash Mayweather's tactics.
"I believe that Floyd did not want to tarnish his perfect record and used this blood testing as an excuse to get out of the fight, because he knew Manny would never do it," he said. "Floyd, being the coward, he found a way out and he did not care if he tarnished another man's reputation."
Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) is coming off a 12-round TKO of Miguel Cotto, while Mayweather (40-0-0, 25 KOs), who retired for nearly two years from 2007-09, has just one fight since his return to boxing - a unanimous decision over Juan Manuel Marquez.
Mayweather could now fill the void in March by trying to fight former junior welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi.
Source: miamiherald.com
The proposed mega-fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. is off after both sides couldn't agree to common ground on drug testing following a Tuesday mediation session.
Michael Koncz, Pacquiao's U.S. business advisor, commented on Pacquiao's Web site that "the whole blood testing issue that Mayweather wants from Manny is just a facade to get Mayweather out of this fight."
The bout was set for March 13 in Las Vegas and was likely to be the richest in boxing history.
Earlier, Pacquiao filed a defamation lawsuit against Mayweather and several members of Golden Boy Promotions in a Las Vegas federal court. That was in response to Mayweather's promoter releasing a statement regarding Pacquiao's refusal to undergo Olympic-style blood testing prior to their proposed bout.
The release appeared to insinuate Pacquiao, the current welterweight champion and title holder in seven different weight classes, had taken performance- enhancing drugs in order to reach the pinnacle in the sport, though Pacquiao has repeatedly said he has never tested positive for a banned substance.
"I am very disappointed that we could not make this fight for the fans and I am angered because of the false accusations from Golden Boy and the Mayweather camp that I used some type of drugs and that is why I have instructed our American lawyers to proceed with the lawsuit to clear my name," Pacquiao said in a statement on his Web site. "This is all I have to say at this time."
After the inflammatory remarks, Pacquiao immediately stated he would file suits due to false accusations. The Filipino did so, naming Mayweather, Floyd Mayweather Sr., and promoters Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer as defendants.
The 31-year-old Pacquiao stated he had difficulty taking blood and didn't want to be subjected to random testing within 30 days prior to the fight.
"Manny doesn't need to ever prove anything to his fans," Koncz said on Pacquiao's Web site. "Manny's character stands on it's own. Manny's fans understand his character. Enough is enough and Manny can not and not will bullied inside or outside the ring.
"Right now Manny is terribly disappointed. We did everything the Nevada Athletic Commission regulates. We even went above what we had to and even though it was out of their jurisdiction and we had the Olympic committee take urine samples from Manny home just last week and those samples will be in next week. Manny knows this is the fight of the century. He knows this is what the fans want. Manny will not bow down to these people who think they can just change the rules and make Manny jump through their hoops."
Koncz went out to bash Mayweather's tactics.
"I believe that Floyd did not want to tarnish his perfect record and used this blood testing as an excuse to get out of the fight, because he knew Manny would never do it," he said. "Floyd, being the coward, he found a way out and he did not care if he tarnished another man's reputation."
Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KOs) is coming off a 12-round TKO of Miguel Cotto, while Mayweather (40-0-0, 25 KOs), who retired for nearly two years from 2007-09, has just one fight since his return to boxing - a unanimous decision over Juan Manuel Marquez.
Mayweather could now fill the void in March by trying to fight former junior welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi.
Source: miamiherald.com
Pacquiao-Mayweather fight dead -- Las Vegas Review-Journal
By STEVE CARP, LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
It’s off — at least for now.
The megafight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., will not take place on March 13 as tentatively scheduled after Mayweather refused to accept a compromise agreement struck during Tuesday’s marathon negotiating session with a mediator.
Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said he is still under a gag order from mediator and retired judge Daniel Weinstein not to discuss the situation. However, Arum plans to announce today plans for a March fight in Las Vegas between Pacquiao and WBA junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman.
When asked if the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight is indeed off, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer said: ‘‘I’m not going to confirm or deny anything. At this point, we have no comment.’’
The two sides met with Weinstein for nine hours Tuesday, but did not meet with Weinstein Wednesday.
Instead, the two fighters were given the revised proposal, the contents of which remain unknown. Pacquiao reportedly agreed to the deal while Mayweather apparently did not.
At that point, Arum moved on.
If Pacquiao fights Foreman, he would be going for an unprecedented eighth title in eight different weight classes. Pacquiao fought at 147 pounds, the heaviest of his career, when he stopped Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 in his most recent fight.
The loss of the March 13 date does not necessarily mean the fight is dead forever. Pacquiao and Mayweather could face each other in the fall, perhaps in September. In the meantime, Mayweather could get another tuneup for an eventual meeting with Pacquiao. It has been rumored Mayweather might keep the March 13 date at the MGM and fight Paulie Malignaggi.
But Schaefer would not comment about that possibility either.
Attempts to reach Leonard Ellerbe, Mayweather’s co-manager, were unsuccessful Wednesday.
One possible reason the fight was scuttled was Pacquiao’s pending lawsuit against Mayweather. Last week, Pacquiao filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas for defamation against Mayweather, his father, Floyd Sr., his uncle, Roger Mayweather, Golden Boy president Oscar De La Hoya and Schaefer. According to Arum, Pacquio’s suit remains intact.
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.
Source: lvrj.com
It’s off — at least for now.
The megafight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr., will not take place on March 13 as tentatively scheduled after Mayweather refused to accept a compromise agreement struck during Tuesday’s marathon negotiating session with a mediator.
Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said he is still under a gag order from mediator and retired judge Daniel Weinstein not to discuss the situation. However, Arum plans to announce today plans for a March fight in Las Vegas between Pacquiao and WBA junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman.
When asked if the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight is indeed off, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer said: ‘‘I’m not going to confirm or deny anything. At this point, we have no comment.’’
The two sides met with Weinstein for nine hours Tuesday, but did not meet with Weinstein Wednesday.
Instead, the two fighters were given the revised proposal, the contents of which remain unknown. Pacquiao reportedly agreed to the deal while Mayweather apparently did not.
At that point, Arum moved on.
If Pacquiao fights Foreman, he would be going for an unprecedented eighth title in eight different weight classes. Pacquiao fought at 147 pounds, the heaviest of his career, when he stopped Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 in his most recent fight.
The loss of the March 13 date does not necessarily mean the fight is dead forever. Pacquiao and Mayweather could face each other in the fall, perhaps in September. In the meantime, Mayweather could get another tuneup for an eventual meeting with Pacquiao. It has been rumored Mayweather might keep the March 13 date at the MGM and fight Paulie Malignaggi.
But Schaefer would not comment about that possibility either.
Attempts to reach Leonard Ellerbe, Mayweather’s co-manager, were unsuccessful Wednesday.
One possible reason the fight was scuttled was Pacquiao’s pending lawsuit against Mayweather. Last week, Pacquiao filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas for defamation against Mayweather, his father, Floyd Sr., his uncle, Roger Mayweather, Golden Boy president Oscar De La Hoya and Schaefer. According to Arum, Pacquio’s suit remains intact.
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.
Source: lvrj.com
Olympic Tests Have Never Detected HGH in an Athlete: USADA Backs Urine -- Bleacher Report
By Kevin Riley, Bleacher Report
The biggest fight in the history of boxing is in danger of not happening because Floyd Mayweather Jr. wants his opponent Manny Pacquiao to agree to random Olympic-style blood tests.
The only problem is that these random blood tests have never—yes that's right—never found Human Growth Hormone in any Olympic athlete that has ever been tested.
Interesting, huh?
Mayweather somehow believes that if his opponent Pacquiao who has never failed a drug test, refuses to take a test that has never caught anyone, then this fight can't happen.
How does this make sense? It doesn't. No wait, maybe Mayweather knows something the rest of us don't...no wait, maybe Mayweather is just trying to avoid the best fighter he has ever met.
But hold on, it gets even better.
Mayweather's camp has somehow wrangled the alliance of Travis Tygart, CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, to try and spin this whole charade of events in their favor.
Tygart has told Yahoo Sports! that Pacquiao's resistance to submit to the blood tests "would provide a huge loophole for a cheater to step through and get away with cheating.”
Please explain yourself Mr. Tygart, how can a test that's never caught anybody possibly provide a "loophole" for a cheater to step through?
It seems like the test itself is a loophole.
And if you don't think this sequence of events can get even more interesting, it can.
Listen to this.
USADA announced last year that they were funding a company that has developed a test to detect HGH in urine. And Pacquiao, as everyone knows, has agreed to submit to as many random urine tests as the Mayweather camp would like.
Tygart even told USA Today last year that the developers, Ceres Nanosciences, "have developed an outstanding technology. And we're looking forward to helping them develop it further so it can have a practical use in anti-doping efforts."
Yesterday, Ceres Nanosciences launched the first release of that new technology, NanotrapTM ESP Particles.
These particles are designed to improve complex biofluid sample processing allowing for the detection of low-abundance proteins that would not otherwise be detected and also uses existing medical equipment.
What this means, simply, is that HGH use is now detectable through testing of urine samples and the breakthrough technology is officially ready to "Rock-and-Roll."
Now we'll find out if Mayweather is ready to do the same.
Pacquiao certainly is.*
Source: bleacherreport.com
The biggest fight in the history of boxing is in danger of not happening because Floyd Mayweather Jr. wants his opponent Manny Pacquiao to agree to random Olympic-style blood tests.
The only problem is that these random blood tests have never—yes that's right—never found Human Growth Hormone in any Olympic athlete that has ever been tested.
Interesting, huh?
Mayweather somehow believes that if his opponent Pacquiao who has never failed a drug test, refuses to take a test that has never caught anyone, then this fight can't happen.
How does this make sense? It doesn't. No wait, maybe Mayweather knows something the rest of us don't...no wait, maybe Mayweather is just trying to avoid the best fighter he has ever met.
But hold on, it gets even better.
Mayweather's camp has somehow wrangled the alliance of Travis Tygart, CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, to try and spin this whole charade of events in their favor.
Tygart has told Yahoo Sports! that Pacquiao's resistance to submit to the blood tests "would provide a huge loophole for a cheater to step through and get away with cheating.”
Please explain yourself Mr. Tygart, how can a test that's never caught anybody possibly provide a "loophole" for a cheater to step through?
It seems like the test itself is a loophole.
And if you don't think this sequence of events can get even more interesting, it can.
Listen to this.
USADA announced last year that they were funding a company that has developed a test to detect HGH in urine. And Pacquiao, as everyone knows, has agreed to submit to as many random urine tests as the Mayweather camp would like.
Tygart even told USA Today last year that the developers, Ceres Nanosciences, "have developed an outstanding technology. And we're looking forward to helping them develop it further so it can have a practical use in anti-doping efforts."
Yesterday, Ceres Nanosciences launched the first release of that new technology, NanotrapTM ESP Particles.
These particles are designed to improve complex biofluid sample processing allowing for the detection of low-abundance proteins that would not otherwise be detected and also uses existing medical equipment.
What this means, simply, is that HGH use is now detectable through testing of urine samples and the breakthrough technology is officially ready to "Rock-and-Roll."
Now we'll find out if Mayweather is ready to do the same.
Pacquiao certainly is.*
Source: bleacherreport.com
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