Mayweather camp: Pacquiao declines Olympic drug testing, fight in jeopardy

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The camp of Floyd Mayweather Jr. is claiming Manny Pacquiao is declining Olympic-style drug testing for their tentatively scheduled March 13 megafight, with Mayweather representatives going as far to say the bout is in “jeopardy” because of Pacquiao’s stance.

Pacquiao has communicated that he’d be willing to give a blood sample only at the kick-off news conference 60 days before the fight, and after the bout, Mayweather representatives claim. Mayweather’s father, Floyd Sr., stated publicly earlier this year that he’d discourage his son from fighting Pacquiao because he suspects the Filipino superstar is using performance-enhancing drugs.

Mayweather’s promoter, Richard Schaefer, said he was told earlier today by a Pacquiao promoter that Pacquiao “has difficulty taking blood and doesn’t want to do it so close to the fight.”

Mayweather responded, “It is our responsaibility to subject ourselves to sportsmanship at the highest level.”

We’ll have more on this later at latimes.com/sports, and in Wednesday’s newspaper.

--Lance Pugmire

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