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So the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight is off now?

Dec 23, 2009, 11:00 AM EST

96 Comments

What am I going to do with these tickets to Las Vegas? Is there anything else to do there?
Promoter Bob Arum, who is starting to make Mr. Haney from Green Acres look like Walter Cronkite, says that the Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Manny Pacquiao “Fight of the Century” has been canceled. At issue is drug testing; how to do it, when to do it, and just how much blood to take (no topping off!). Actually, Mayweather’s camp is insisting on random, Olympic-style blood testing, which Arum and Pacquiao are refusing to do. They say that Mayweather is just making ridiculous, Dracula-like conditions so that he doesn’t have to fight Pacquiao. David Mayo of the Grand Rapids Press has the exclusive.

“We’re going in a different direction,” Arum said. “What I believe is that Floyd never really wanted the fight and this is just harassment of Pacquiao.

“Floyd, to me, is a coward and he’s always been a coward,” Arum said. “Not a physical coward, but a coward because he’s afraid to face somebody who could beat him. And believe me, Manny Pacquiao could beat him. So he’ll go his way, we’ll go our way, and that’ll be fine.

“Manny Pacquiao doesn’t know anything about drugs. This is just typical nastiness by wise guys like (adviser Leonard) Ellerbe and Mayweather. They’re just wise guys.”

Of course, this superfight will be off until it suddenly isn’t. Brooks of Sports by Brooks put it best this morning:

Anyone who has followed boxing and Arum for more than five minutes knows this fight will come off somehow some way, but let’s play pretend with Arum. This is probably the last, big moment for the venerable promoter, so I’ll indulge him.

If there’s anything more to this besides Arum’s grandstanding, it probably involves money, Mayweather’s ego, or both.

Anyway, Arum is not the ones who Mayweather has to convince. Pacquiao takes all of his orders from a higher authority.
***
Promoter Bob Arum: Mayweather-Pacquiao off; ‘Floyd never really wanted the fight’ [Grand Rapids Press]
Grand Rapids Press: Mayweather-Pacquiao Is Off [SportsbyBrooks]
Pacquiao: I had a talk with God [Inquirer.net]

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  1. Jorge - Dec 24, 2009 at 9:17 AM

    During that time Pacquiao is only using his left hand whereas now he is can knock you out on both hands. That’s one reason why he is a better boxer now than two years ago. Look what he did to hatton and Cotto, he knock them out with a right cross and followed by a lelt hook.

  2. tommy - Dec 24, 2009 at 11:55 AM

    Pac is willing to give blood after fight? so nobody hiding nothing, 1ts Mayweather camp don’t want to fight in Dallas 2 nd now they pull this? com on, next mayweather will be asking for cell sample? should pacman give that?

  3. John C. Mayer - Dec 24, 2009 at 11:56 AM

    Frankly, to get in shape, I believe you can use whatever the hell you want. All of theother sports do it. AS long as y

  4. tommy - Dec 24, 2009 at 12:03 PM

    Why not take a cell sample and then after that let’s take snot sample and after that and after that after that, Pacman doesnt have to take any blood test if he doesnt want to k? no other did marquez? have to take blood test? dont be stupied Mayweather lover, such a boring fighter, dont fight Mayweather please!!!

  5. tommyk - Dec 24, 2009 at 12:05 PM

    Pacman did agree to take it after fight, mayweather doesnt think that enough!! that why mayweather just a punk

  6. IKEA - Dec 24, 2009 at 12:08 PM

    Pacman move to a higher weight classes but his weight is under the specified maximum weight limit. He stays within the range of 142-144 Lbs. Why is Weather-less afraid to fight a smaller guy like pacman?. He don’t need all this nonsense blood testing to fight for a smaller guy like pacman. He just want to duck away those guys that have the high probability to beat him. pacman is not Alex R. or any juiced muscled guy in baseball.

  7. John C. Mayer - Dec 24, 2009 at 12:13 PM

    What I meant to say was, that use whatever works to get you in the shape of your life. All of the other sports do it. You just have to test clean before or after the event and Manny has always tested clean after his fights. Some other boxers haven’t i.e., Vargas, and he still got his ass kicked by De Lahoya. It opens up a can of worms though and makes performance enhancing drugs “legal.”…..Up to a point. While in training, any sport, any sport, mind you has athletes using something. They are getting caught all of the time. Just quit using well before it’s testing time. I am not an advocate of steroids. I have been a boxing coach for 40 years. Hey, many boxers like football players “do it.” What’s the big secret? Regardless of how you try to police it, the athletes are going to use whatever they have to in order to get “that edge.” Call it cheating, unfair or whatever. We all are looking for a way to get ahead. Boxing (and other sports) are merely a reflection of society..like Wall Street bankers, AIG, and dissatisfied Republicans who did everything they could to stop Obama from doing anything admirable. For my money, I like Mayweather. It could have been and still might be a hell of a fight.

  8. mag - Dec 24, 2009 at 1:17 PM

    First of, why should we question the current way things are done?There is no proof that the Nevada Commission system for drug testing is flawed. I recognize that this could be the “fight of the generation” but the system that lead up to this has been mostly governed by the Nevada Commission. All of the history is compromised, therefore compromising this actual fight itself! Why have the fight at all if everything before it is “questionable”?
    All of this talk bout drug testing started when old man floyd began expressing his baseless suspicion. All I say is RESPECT the commission and history that led to this fight and follow the applicable rules.
    -not a pacman fan but definitely I despise the trash talking mayweathers.

  9. GFloyd - Dec 24, 2009 at 2:36 PM

    If the fight will be held in the State of Nevada then the Nevada State Gaming Commission’s rules and regulations must be followed.
    I repeat, MUST BE FOLLOWED. Plain and simple – no one should demand more or change these rules like whatever Olympic Regulations that Gayweather camp’s are aiming to impose. Remember Oscar De La Hoya’s accusation to Arum that he arranged to have a big ring to give Pacquiao an advantage over Cotto? This whole thing is the same garbage. Look, if we (boxing fans) allow these kinds of behaviours from Gayweather’s camp and Golden Boy Promotions – might as well stop watching PPV fights. Floyd, youre not special that you can change rules like this. Youre a scared punk and youre not even circumcised.
    You go find another opponent and do some cherry picking yourself coz thats what youre good at.
    For Oscar, how did it feel to get hit by Manny’s left and right punches? Were you screaming deep down inside? Saying, drug test! drug test! lol…..

  10. More On You - Dec 24, 2009 at 8:32 PM

    Blah blah blah… Until the fight happens all Mayweather can do is talk smack. That’s all he does, talk smack. Why not fight first and give blood later. If Pac is juicin then the fight goes to Mayweather. If Floyd beats Pac even if Pac was juicin then Floyd’s a really good fighter. Either way they should fight, then both be subject to the blood test. Floyd is scared and he knows it. This is a delay tactic on his part. I don’t think he’s got the balls to fight Pac… If I said you could fight me if you stand on your head and flick your balls would you do it? Asking for a drug test before the fight is the same thing. Unfortunately Floyd gots no balls. Blah, blah, blah…

  11. marc - Dec 25, 2009 at 8:35 AM

    Yeah, lets do an olympic style drug testing… in court. The mayweathers would be sued for defamation and libel for allegations of steroid use without evidence. Pacquiao can win millions more.

  12. rodge - Dec 26, 2009 at 9:34 PM

    bright boy. your word annoys me. but yes, pregnancy test to both fighters shall be done. case close. hehe

  13. boxing fan - Dec 31, 2009 at 10:51 PM

    mayweather has never asked this of any other fighter which tells one he is scared.If pac did test positive the fight would be off. Why would mayweather take that chance if he really believed pac was on the juice, unless he really does not want the fight. After all Pac is a smaller man. For that kind of money he ought to fight Mike Tyson on his best day.

  14. Armando Grillo - Jan 4, 2010 at 10:25 PM

    I found your site on google. I adore this site so much. It’s good to read original content. I will most certainly be back to this site again!

  15. Detroit4Life - Jan 6, 2010 at 5:32 PM

    PAC is on drugs. Just do the test and make your millions, idiot.
    Let’s see – a simple blood test and you go out and maybe win the fight. What’s the worst, Pac, losing a fight and making millions?
    DUHHHH. You people backing Druggie Pac have no logic and only side with him because you hate Mayweather.

  16. SCORPIO - Jan 21, 2010 at 10:48 AM

    Get your facts straight before you talk DiamondDuq, Filipinos do not walk away from a good fight its your defensive fighter who’s looking for an excuse not to fight. I wonder why I read a lot of chicken talk about your defensive fighter! Don’t you ever wonder?

  17. SCORPIO - Jan 21, 2010 at 10:53 AM

    ck2000 it is already 2010 you are still a dumb racist? Are you neanderthal or cro-magnon? if you do not know what I am talking about you must be damn uneducated!

  18. SCORPIO - Jan 21, 2010 at 11:03 AM

    ck2000 you are a shame to America! You racist punk! You probably dont even know where the Philippines is.

  19. SCORPIO - Jan 21, 2010 at 11:06 AM

    Darn, you chose the right name for yourself mutt! What a genius!

  20. SCORPIO - Jan 21, 2010 at 11:09 AM

    Man how did you that Pac’s a junkie? You must be one? I thought I saw down in one of Detroit’s alley!!

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