The Ball Is Back In Mayweather's Court; Manny Says OK To 14 Day Window

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By Michael Woods

Never before has boxing had so much in common. Hurdles, here, there and everywhere...

The main hurdle to making the November 13 Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather has seemingly been traversed, as the Congressman from Sarangani province said, hard and fast, that he is open to undergoing random drug testing--via analysis of blood and/or urine--14 days before the fight.

This is according to the Manilla Bulletin, which quoted Pacquaio as saying, “As long as they’re not getting a large amount of blood, I am willing to give out blood as close to two weeks before the fight.”

TSS you'll notice has chosen to use the word "seemingly," since it'll be up to Team Mayweather, led by Al Haymon and Floyd Mayweather, with Richard Schaefer acting as emissary, along with Leonard Ellerbe, during negotiations with Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum, to sign on the testing protocol. In the previous stage of negotiations, held in December and January, Team Mayweather was holding to the stance that they want Pacquiao to be amenable to a blood test as close to two days before any bout. Pacquiao had countered that he feels excessively weakened when blood is taken from him. He said he felt drained when a large quantity was taken for testing before his March 2005 clash with Erik Morales, a UD12 loss. Was the weakness in his head? Or is it a matter of superstition? That explanation for the 2005 loss didn't loom large in the US five years ago, though it did draw press in the Phillipines, and only truly emerged as an issue during the first failed rounds of talks. Pacquiao fans embrace, by and large, his stance on blood loss, while doubters see his fear of blood loss as a masking agent for another motivation to refuse bloodwork too close to a fight. The blood matter can only be asked and answered by Manny and seems destined to be one of those unanswerable deals, where backers and doubters can find no common ground.

Right before the last negotiations dissolved, Team Mayweather said they'd be OK with a drug test 14 days before the fight. Crucially, the Mayweather crew said, the test did not have to be a blood test. Pacquiao wanted to shut the blood testing window at 24 days out from the tussle, though he agreed to have his urine tested, with no limitations. (Though Floyd fans point to the fact that there isn't a fully reliable urine test to detect HGH...) Ten days difference in testing dates seemingly were THE reason why a $100 million clash wasn't going down. Those were the terms in early January; have the goalposts been moved since then? Hard to tell, since this round of dealmaking has been held outside the glare of us keyboard tappers. Top Rank reps were in New York on Wednesday, TR reps said they were not at liberty to disclose the location of Top Rank chief Bob Arum. Might he be holed up somewhere with Schaefer, finalizing terms for a Nov. 13 mega-clash? One could easily surmise that...

source bleacherreport.com

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Talks to resume anew for Pacquiao-Mayweather mega fight

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NEW YORK—Manny Pacquiao may soon turn his attention from campaigning for Congress to negotiating the details on the richest fight in boxing history.

Pacquiao’s trainer, Freddie Roach, told The Associated Press on Monday that discussions could begin as early as Tuesday for a bout against Floyd Mayweather Jr., once results are in from the Philippine elections. Pacquiao is running for Congress for the second time.

The matchup involving boxing’s two most high-profile fighters was discussed at length earlier this year, but negotiations fell apart when the sides could not agree on drug testing protocol.
Both took different fights, with Pacquiao soundly beating Joshua Clottey at the new Cowboys Stadium near Dallas, and Mayweather routing welterweight champion Shane Mosley in Las Vegas.

“I think the fight will happen," said Roach, who was in New York with another of his fighters, Amir Khan, who defends his junior welterweight title against Paulie Malignaggi on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.

“It will probably be November, maybe October," Roach added. “November’s not a great pay-per-view month, but I think it will happen."

Roach wouldn’t say whether Pacquiao would budge on the drug testing dilemma. Mayweather has said that every fight he takes, beginning with Mosley, will include Olympic-style blood testing along with the typical urine tests required by most athletic commissions. That means the fighters could have blood drawn in the days leading up to the fight.

Pacquiao believes giving blood makes him weak and refused to do so within 24 days of a fight.

“If Manny Pacquiao can take a blood and urine test then we have a fight," Mayweather said shortly after his victory May 1. “If not, no fight."

Both fighters months ago agreed to what is usually the major sticking point in negotiations with a deal to split the proceeds evenly. That may not happen the second time around, though, depending on how the pay-per-view numbers shake out from their other bouts. Pacquiao-Clottey generated about 700,000 buys while Mayweather-Mosley is expected to be over 1.1 million.

That could give some additional leverage to Mayweather, even though his opponent was much better known. Other than the stadium venue, Pacquiao was the only real draw in his bout.
One thing that won’t become an issue is Pacquiao’s potential duties in Congress.

“When he fights they close down Parliament and all the terrorists call for a peace," Roach said, only half jokingly. “It’s not going to change anything. They’ll just announce him as Congressman Manny Pacquiao, that’s all."

Roach had been receiving constant updates from promoter Bob Arum, who spent the last few days before the election in the Philippines. Roach said early returns show Pacquiao “winning in a landslide" against 61-year-old Roy Chiongbian, who comes from a politically powerful family.

Computer problems and campaign-related violence, which has killed more than 30 people in the past three months, were the main concerns in the voting. Official hope the results set a new standard for the country’s fragile democracy, where government corruption is common.
“He wants change," Roach said of Pacquiao, who lost decisively in his first attempt at politics. “I think it’s genuine. People see that he wants to help his country, and that’s why they’re voting. That’s why they support him." - AP

source

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Watch Mayweather vs Mosley live stream free online ppv

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Who are you picking? is the biggest question that boxing fans around the world is asking while waiting for the most anticipated event of the year, the Mayweather vs Mosley fight. Floyd Mayweather Jr. will face Shane Mosley in a fight that is labeled as the Fight of the Year. Mayweather is still undefeated and winning against Mosley will solidify his him in the position as the pound-for-pound king. And thought he won against Marquez in his comeback fight a lot of people still doubt if he does fit for the title as the pound-for-pound king. Meanwhile, Mosley will try to defend his welterweight title and the same time aiming to give Mayweather his first loss.

Will Mosley the first boxer to give Mayweather his lost? Just watch Mayweather vs Mosley live streaming on May 1, 2010 at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas.

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