LAS VEGAS ? There?s bad blood developing among members of Team Pacquiao here.
A simple retina test that Manny Pacquiao should have taken weeks before his upcoming fight has threatened to spoil the Filipino boxer?s chances against Mexico?s Erik Morales on Saturday (Sunday in Manila).
In the process, it has also opened a can of worms here.
Pacquiao refused to take the eye test Thursday for fear that it would leave him with a blurred vision as he had experienced in the past. Told that he would not be allowed to fight if he insisted, he was forced to take the test.
The Nevada State Athletic Commission requires all boxers seeing action in Nevada to take the test 30 days before a fight. It?s basic retina test that also involves the application of a special kind of eye drop.
An HIV test is also required. Pacquiao took it, too, and so did Morales and all the boxers seeing action on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Pacquiao had taken the same retina test prior to his previous fights here in Nevada. But he complained of suffering from blurred vision even two days after. However, he had to take it Thursday or the fight would not push through.
Gen. Santos City Mayor Pedro Acharon, a close friend of Pacquiao?s who is here to watch the fight, confirmed that Pacquiao took the retina test.
“Ayaw noong una dahil nga dalawang araw na masakit pa daw sa mata. Nakaka-blur daw ng vision. But he told me na diluted eye drops were used kanina unlike before. He said they also took from him 6 cc of blood for his HIV test,” said the youthful mayor.
As it is, there are two groups fighting it over Pacquiao ? the “old” one and the “new” one.
The “old” group is composed of Pacquiao?s business manager Rod Nazario, senior cornerman Lito Mondejar, technical adviser Ramon Lainez, American promoter Murad Muhammad and Puerto Rican cutman Lenny de Jesus.
The “new” group is composed of manager Shelly Finkel (who recently replaced Marty Elorde), legal counsel Keith Davidson, trainer Freddie Roach, conditioning coach Justin Fortune, publicist Winchell Campos and a group of young, over-zealous LA-based Filipinos.
Buboy Fernandez, Pacquiao?s Filipino trainer and childhood friend, is being caught in between.
Mondejar was greatly affected because for the first time in so many Pacquiao fights, he will not be allowed to join the Filipino corner. Fortune, an Australian, has taken his place.
“Wala na. Hindi na talaga kagaya ng dati na si Freddie, Buboy, ako at si Lenny lang ang nasa corner. Lahat ng laban sa Manila, sa Thailand at dito sa US, kasama ako sa itaas. Pero tinanggal na nila ako,” said Mondejar.
“Eh sino ba ?yang mga ?yan. Wala naman lahat ?yan dito nung mga huling laban. Pero sige lang. Ni ayaw ko na nga pumunta sa kuwarto ni Manny eh. Pero bayaan natin,” he said.
“Ganyan talaga. Matamis eh,” said Nazario.
A couple of scribes from Manila dropped by Pacquaio?s room to get his thoughts but were refused entry by a certain Joseph Ramos, who claims to be a former PBL player. Apparently, he has taken over Pacquiao?s room.
“No comment. No comment,” he said as he turned the Manila reporters away. Acharon went to Pacquiao?s room later on and was allowed in.
Muhammad blamed Roach for failing to subject Pacquiao to the retina test much earlier ? and not two days before the fight. This would have avoided all the confusion.
Roach claimed that Pacquiao had taken the test in a California clinic last March 4 but the papers were “missing.”
“He did not pay attention to his responsibilities. And we did not know this until we were told by the commission that Pacquiao had not taken these tests ahead of time,” said Muhammad.
“I feel bad because every fight, we make sure that our athlete has the edge ? mentally, physically, spiritually and medically. There should be no problem here. What disturbs me is we had bond, unity and love (within the ?old? group) and things like these wouldn?t have occurred,” he added.
“This is the biggest confusion. And it?s not my fault. It?s not Nazario?s fault. We do not understand what?s going on. Now we?re only praying that Pacquiao wins,” said the American promoter.
Pacquiao held his final gym workout Thursday leading up to Friday?s official weigh-in for the 130 lb contest at 3:30 p.m. Pacquiao, who is expected to make the limit with ease, will spend the rest of the day relaxing and focusing on the biggest fight of his life.
While Muhammad was holding his mini-press conference, Pacquiao was said to have left the MGM Grand for training at the nearby IBA gym. With Muhammad at the time were Nazario, Mondejar and Lainez.
“You tell me what?s going on. Try asking Nazario where Pacquiao is right now and he wouldn?t now. When before, Pop (Nazario) knew how Pacquiao slept, how he ran, how he ate. You ask him now and he wouldn?t know,” Muhammad added.
Things have really changed within Team Pacquiao, and for members of the “old” group, they?re not for the better.
