Manny Pacquiao’s promoter makes ‘final counteroffer’ for drug testing
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Bob Arum, Manny Pacquiao‘s promoter, this morning unveiled what he says is his ‘final counteroffer’ to get an agreement between his boxer and hopeful opponent Floyd Mayweather Jr. for a March 13 bout that could be the most lucrative in the sport’s history.
Arum said he wants an agreement from Mayweather and his promoter, Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions, by Monday or he’ll ‘finish negotiations’ for a Pacquiao replacement fight against Paulie Malignaggi.
Arum’s offer is for each fighter to submit to unlimited random urinalysis, and to let the Nevada State Athletic Commission to determine at its Jan. 19 meeting whether additional blood testing is required beyond Pacquiao’s current agreement to allow his blood to be tested 30 days before the bout and immediately after its conclusion.
‘We will allow Golden Boy to present experts to the commission to explain why additional testing is required, and we’ll explain our position,’ Arum said. ‘Then we’ll let the Nevada commission decide. If Nevada says we need to do more testing, we’ll do more, but if they don’t, we won’t.’
The fight would take place at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas if it were to occur.
‘Nevada is the one who should have the say, not the fighters,’ Arum said.
He added that striking an agreement on this point would allow the fighters to sign contracts -- both are expected to receive a guaranteed $25 million with pay-per-view upside -- and begin promoting the fight early next month before the commission decides the matter.
Schaefer was not immediately available for comment.
Contacted by The Times on Saturday night, Keith Kizer, executive director of the commission, said the agency was prepared ‘to do what we do with the urine testing,’ but would consider additional testing procedures if the promoters petitioned.
‘I’m pleased with our processes as they are now. They were good enough for Pacquiao-[Miguel] Cotto [Nov. 14] and for Mayweather-[Juan Manuel] Marquez [in September].’
Arum said he just wants state regulators to decide the testing policy, not have it mandated by Mayweather’s team.
Mayweather said in a statement this month that he wanted to ensure a level playing field, and his camp proposed allowing the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency to monitor blood tests. The head of that agency said Pacquiao’s resistance to take a blood test closer than 30 days from the first bell was not acceptable for effective anti-doping procedures.
‘If the commission says both fighters have to give blood as they’re walking into the ring, we’ll do it,’ Arum said. ‘But I want the commission saying it, not some outside group with an agenda. If they say no to this, that shows they don’t want the fight.’
-- Lance Pugmire
