I say with great regret and a somber tone that the infinitely appealing and eagerly awaited boxing match between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao is not going to happen, at least not in the immediate future. Never have I seen a fight so ripe, so hyped, and so appealing to a wide variety of the public. The fact that the two sides could not come to terms is a huge letdown.
We have discussed the contract situation between these two superstar boxers, including the fatal snag regarding the blood testing, for the last few weeks. My inbox was flooded with emails from passionate fans on both sides of the fence. Some were all but accusing Manny Pacquiao of using steroids, while others were adamantly defending his right to decline the unsanctioned tests on the grounds that drawing blood so close to a fight will weaken an athlete.
I allow these fans to have their voices heard in this week’s mailbag. Most of the comments are about the steroid allegations and blood testing that killed the mega fight between Mayweather and Pacquiao. This is the final week that we should discuss this disheartening topic because we must move on and look to future bouts for these superstars.
For the general population they move on to other sports and events and the sport of boxing loses out on a Super Bowl-like spotlight. No other fight can bring nearly the attention to the sport that Pacquiao vs. Mayweather would have.
For the boxing world, the question is who will the sports two biggest stars fight if they will not fight each other? Pacquiao is supposedly either going to fight Paulie Malignaggi, or try for his 8th title in different weight classes against Yuri Foreman. Mayweather’s next opponent is completely up in the air at this point, although I have a suspicion that he will wait until Andre Berto vs. Shane Mosley concludes before he picks a foe.
On to the mailbag I give boxing fans their final words on Pacquiao vs. Mayweather, including who is to blame for the fight not happening, steroids, and why the fight dissolved. Enjoy!
Cycling Off Steroids?
Hey Brian,
I got a question. How do you actually cycle steroids out of your system? Can one actually control when steroids come out of your system? If Pacquiao takes it within the 30 day period is he really talented enough to keep it in his system till time of the fight but get rid of it at exactly the right time before he gets tested at the end of the fight?
And will Pacquiao actually know how long the fight will take? A second, a minute? An hour? It’s not like when you take a piss the system will come out, or will it come out when you sweat. I feel this is all BS.
If you feel that the steroids would come out of Pacquiao after the fight I suggest you tell Pacquiao to fight another boxer after he takes the test and I guarantee you Pacquiao will knock him out too. I think if they really want to know if Pac is taking drugs tell him to fight again just right after the fight and after he destroys Floyd.
-Zen
Zen,
I don’t think you have a firm grasp of what steroids are and how athletes use them to gain an advantage. They are not a drug like amphetamines say, where you take them and they need to be in your system to have their effect. Steroids are taken in what is called a “cycle”. You inject the drug into your system every day for a period of time (say 4 weeks). This is done early on, during training and pre-training, not on fight night.
When you work out, your muscles are torn and your body normally repairs them, and once they are repaired they are bigger and stronger. What steroids do is build up your muscles faster than your body normally would so that you recover faster and therefore can work out more. Steroids also build up your muscles stronger than they would haven normally. As you can see, using steroids while working out can make you very big and strong much quicker than naturally lifting weights. Building up the right muscle groups, including the “fast twitch” muscles, could increase one’s speed and reflexes as well.
The effects of steroids stay with you even after you stop taking the drugs. The muscle mass still stays with you as long as you maintain a normal workout routine. So with this said; if you know when your drug test is going to be, a steroid user could time his cycle so that the steroids were out of his system for the test, but still benefit from the effects of using the steroids.
So your theory of taking just the right amount of steroids to last the fight so that there is no more in his system for the test does not make sense scientifically.
Pacquiao Deserves Respect
Good day Brian,
Warmth greeting!
The issue is becoming chilli red hot regarding Pacquiao on steroids and Pacquiao not willing to compromise with Mayweather’s demand on USADA method of drug test. Some opinionists like “erniepep” and perhaps others are now inclining to a conclusion that Pacquiao’s avoidance to Mayweather’s term would presume guilty.
I do neither counter much of negative opinions against Pacquiao’s refusal to undergo drug test conducted by USADA nor go pro with it for now. But I just discourage an indignation or prejudgment that would lead to damage either fighter’s image with no substantial evidence or material that would prove the allegations beyond reasonable doubt. I suggest that fans of either side would consider broad aspects and respect before going into some sort of insinuations based only on misguided accusation or claim. Such action is unjust, irresponsible and disrespectful.
It is true that huge fortune is at stake when both parties won’t settle or compromise their dispute and the finger is pointing on Pacquiao why risk the huge opportunity just for minor issue. Well it maybe a minor issue to risk a $40M fortune, but to some degree and in some point of person’s life, money may not be important and a priority anymore. In some point in life, respect is more important than money. In this instance, the Mayweathers showed disrespect by starting an issue which was unimaginable, made it public and unlawfully pursuing that issue to be true by trying to subject Pacquiao into a drug test method that has never been in the picture of professional boxing for half a century.
However as a boxing fan, not only Pacquiao fan, I as well want fairness in boxing sport. But if I were Pacquiao I could clear the smoke away in some other ways, but not Mayweather’s way because in the first place Mayweathers already showed disrespect, Pacquiao is stupid if he bows to it. There are times when people think more than just money, not all people are blinded by it. I think, for the Filipinos not all are hungered by money, more still deserve respect than money.
Also, I disagree with the idea that HGH can be timed undetected just seconds or minutes after the fight. There is no such clinical time-bomb (HGH) designed for that.
Thanks a lot Brian.
-Sabembe Mawatu
Sabembe,
Manny Pacquiao does deserve respect and I thank you for pointing that out. He feels disrespected by the Mayweather team and rightfully so. They have dragged his name through the dirt in an indirect way and now millions of people around the world are very suspicious if him cheating.
The refusal of so much money based on a pin prick is absurd to many people, especially Americans. That is why the rumors of illicit activity spread like wild fire. However you make a good argument that respect is important. Mayweather has so badly disrespected Pacquiao with his accusations why would he do Mayweather a favor by giving into his demand? If respect is more important than money, then refusing the blood tests makes perfect sense.
As for your take on HGH, I would like to contest your argument. HGH is a hormone made naturally by the human body so it blends in very well. HGH is extremely hard to detect. It is undetectable with urine tests and the blood test used to detect HGH is not very good either. No Olympic athlete has ever been caught using HGH. The reason? It is not because they weren’t using it. You must perform the blood test within 72 hours of the person using the drug. Otherwise you come back with a negative test.
Scientists are studying ways to detect HGH with urine tests and trying to come up with tests to discover HGH farther into the past (say weeks or months), but we are not there yet. Using random blood tests is the only hope for catching HGH abusers right now. The randomness means that the athlete cannot prepare for the test so you much get lucky and hope that you randomly test the athlete within a couple days of him using.
Drug Testing In Boxing
Your opinion that Olympic style testing is quite fair may not be up to the mark. Many athletes in the Olympics have complained of the blood tests performed. Some have complained of too much blood having been extracted, several times, that they were weakened when the finals were up on hand; yet they couldn’t complain because that is the Olympics. This is professional boxing. You want Olympics style testing, go to the Olympics!
Pacman has already agreed to blood extraction immediately after the fight. Many medical authorities have said blood just before or immediately after the fight would produce the same results. So what’s the matter with you guys? Accept it for what it is, Floyd doesn’t really want to fight Pacquiao, so he’s the one being insistent on his demands.
-Rob P.
Rob,
Pacquiao is innocent until proven guilty. He is being unfairly accused. However if you look into the science behind the testing, random blood tests combined with urine tests are the best way to detect performance enhancing drugs. Certain drugs are only detectable with a blood test and are washed out of your system within 48 hours of use. It is very possible for someone to use performance enhancing drugs but not be detected using the NSAC tests, nor would they be detected with the blood testing regimen that Bob Arum suggested. That is a fact.
The baseless accusations of team Mayweather have brought up a legitimate issue in the boxing world.
HGH Concerns Are Baseless
Pacquiao hasn’t really grown drastically in the last few years. In terms of ring weight, he’s been fighting as a welterweight for quite a while now. His ring weight hasn’t changed a great deal, the only difference is that he doesn’t drain himself for the weigh-in anymore. Has this made him stronger? Perhaps, but consider the fact that he has been fighting at the world level for more than a decade now and, though he was far more skilled now than he was as a flyweight, bantamweight and featherweight, he was even more of a monster when he fought in those weight divisions than he is now.
Now, all of a sudden, some crackhead trainer who has no knowledge whatsoever of Pac’s history says he is on steroids and some people actually think that there’s a basis for it.
The truth is, Pacquiao didn’t go up in weight just because he wanted to (not at first). He had to. As a 16-year old street kid he was able to fight in the smaller divisions, but as his body filled out with age and he was able to afford better nutrition, naturally he got heavier.
At present he walks around at 155 or so — his natural adult body weight — though without the six-pack abs he parades during weigh-ins, and for a while now he has been fighting in the mid 140s. The drastic weight gain is a chimera. The speed and power has always been there precisely because he grew naturally, that is, without the aid of supplements or intense weight training.
There is no basis for calling him a cheater and he should not be treated as one, nor should he be forced to deal with things he isn’t used to, especially not before a big fight.
Lastly, he does not have to dignify every baseless accuser just to clear his name. Writers and fans should be responsible enough to do their research before passing judgment and spreading word.
-Rodion Romanovich
Rodion,
That is a legit argument that suggests that Pacquiao is clean. I also think that Manny is free of steroid use. That is the reason why I want Manny to submit to the testing. The Mayweather backers who want Pacquiao tested are hoping to catch him in the act. I want Pacquiao to test because I want him to prove his innocence.
I liken this situation to getting pulled over by the police. When the police ask to search your vehicle you have the right to say no if you have not been doing anything wrong. However if you are innocent you will usually allow the police to search your car to prove that you have nothing to hide. If I were Pacquiao I would want to declare and prove my innocence against any test that Mayweather could throw at me. Once his innocence is proven, which I am almost positive it would be if he took the tests, then we can finally move on from this mess.
Pacquiao’s reluctance to submit these tests, due to superstition, fear of needles, fear of a disadvantage or whatever, is gravely unfortunate.
Anti-Doping and Pacquiao’s Statement
There is indeed more room to improve professional boxing. There should be a centralized body that provides for an extensive and clear anti-doping policy and procedure and consistently applied not only in the US but globally. However, to start that off in this potential mega-stakes fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather, is clearly premature as the details need to be agreed by the various boxing organizations and agreed to by the boxers and their promoters.
Some info on HGH (from online medical sources): HGH taken alone is actually ineffective in enhancing performance. What the studies show is that HGH can only be effective when it is taken in conjunction with anabolic steroids (i.e. steriods can be detected by urine testing). This means that in order to get the maximum effect an athlete must take both at the same time. The trouble with this fact is that as mentioned earlier anabolic steroids can easily be detected, and with a simple urine test you can already get caught. The information campaign could also lay some emphasis on the possible risks and side effects that can result from too much intake of HGH. Some of these are acromelagy, which in layman’s terms is gigantism, increased risk of diabetes, swelling of joints, edema, being more prone to different types of cancer and many others. If this can be done then it would probably dissuade athletes from even thinking about taking HGH.
Bottom line: We have boxing writers right now that are trying to say a “one way street” on HGH, however, if you look at the medical facts, it’s not “conclusive” and likely much is to be learned and studied about these drugs.
However, no amount of drugs will (1) improve your skills and strategy in the ring e.g. if this drug made everybody smarter or gave them a new fountain of skills, everybody will be using it!; (2) the idea of bulking up, c’mon – PacMan is known and recognize for his “speed”, not his bulk body or armor muscles. If you ask me, bulking up, would actually sacrifice your speed . . so isn’t this an anti-thesis of the Pacquiao fast machine; (3) in this high stakes negotiation where each side attempts to get the better deal i.e. Mayweather’s request was answered “half-way” by Pacquiao – 3 blood tests (after fight announcement, before 30 days and just after the fight), these blood tests are not required for professional/competitive boxing in Nevada (Las Vegas), but Pacquiao offered this. The test just after the fight, should provide conclusive and reliable evidence that meet Olympic standards if Pacquiao took anything since these drugs stay in the body at least a week, depending of quantity taken; (4) Let’s take a look at the messenger of this “unsubstantiated allegations” – Mayweathers camp – goodness! these guys are not the bastion of honesty and purity, heck, they could produce a reality series with their numerous court cases, run-ins with the law, tax problems, what have you.
We don’t know whether this fight will push through or not, however, the ascent of Manny to the top of the boxing world was duly documented in 24/7/media outlets/stories that show: (a) Manny took long hours in the gym, working on a strategy, improving his right hand to be as good as the left hand i.e. if this guy was really on super-performance drugs – why waste too many hours in the gym when you have super strength? Why improve your right hand, when with the aid of this wonder drug, all you need is an ultra-power left?; (b) Manny has not shown the behavior of a guy in super-drugs who is all “about me, me, I can do this easily”. Instead, if you ask Manny – he will just say – “I will try my best to do well, hopefully to win for the Filipino people” or “give God glory”. I have not heard any of those humble words from all the drug convicted top athletes; and (c) Finally, no amount of “Mayweather or his minions propaganda” nor articles from writers that quick to judge on unwarranted accusations – – Society and the fans (casual/hard-core) will collectively in its wisdom make their own decisions – and vote empathically with their wallets. That will be the definitive statement!
-Hanson
Hanson,
Hey man, before I get to the response in your email, let me say that I loved your hit song MmmBop! One of my faves!
Okay, back to business. Don’t fool yourself, taking steroids and other drugs would absolutely help you become a better fighter if taken properly with the correct routines. If you took the right ones under the proper supervision, the drugs would simply allow you to work out for longer hours and more times per week because your body heals itself and recovers faster. Pacquiao is known for his legendary recovery time and marathon workouts that no other mortal could possible keep up with. Taking steroids or HGH would not give you super strength. Performance enhancing drugs simply enhance your work out so you see better results from your hard work.
“Stacking” steroids is proven to be much more effective than taking just one, but one kind at a time, such as HGH, can still give you an edge. Andy Pettitte of the New York Yankees admitted to using only HGH and said that it helped him recover from his injuries through physical therapy.
The NSAC testing probably needs to be revisited to determine if what they do is adequate at catching performance enhancing drugs. Even the USADA, the gold standard in testing, does not catch everything, and the NSAC testing catches less than the USADA. Shane Mosley used steroids and did not fail a NSAC test. Ensuring that boxers are free of enhancement drugs is very important because fighters are risking their lives in the ring.
Let’s See It Come From The Authorities, Not the Mayweathers
Thanks for your inputs.
If these super drugs were already in the correct routine stage then, “using prisoner’s dilemma” which is very true in competitive sports, a lot of athletes will use it, especially in sports like boxing were blood testing is not institutionalized. Then, you can argue the top boxers are on even playing field.
Certainly, there needs to be more critical review on instituting anti-doping policy, given, that there is a lot of myths and half-truths that abound. I believe though that Pacquiao will submit to these tests. That is if the legitimate boxing bodies and authorities have these tests established and consistently applied to all professional boxing matches rather than coming from Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather, as these guys are not the paragon of virtues (we see them play tactics and slight of hand in many previous fights).
Let’s keep the useful (although sometimes difficult) debates going. Discussions from various angles will give this sport the shot in the arm that makes it relevant.
Best,
-Hanson
Hanson,
The shocking and disappointing truth of competitive sports is that athletes will cheat if they know that they can get away with it. You make a stellar point about Pacquiao being likely to agree to these tests if they were a part of the appropriate boxing authorities. If the NSAC demanded these tests instead of a group of slandering trash talkers who are trying to force Manny’s hand, then I am sure that Pacquiao would be much more receptive. It is up to the powers that be in boxing to step up to the plate regarding anti-doping.
Only If It Applies to All!
Hi Brian,
Happy New Year. The fight of the century is dead that’s because of Golden Boy Promotions. Oscar De La Hoya didn’t help matters when he wrote in his Ring Magazine online blog that the punches by Vargas, Mosley and Pacquiao “felt the same,” an intimation Pacquiao could have been juiced when he stopped De La Hoya after eight rounds in December 2008. Vargas and Mosley were both on steroids in their fights against De La Hoya.
That was interesting coming from De La Hoya because he said after his loss to Pacquiao that he never felt Pacquiao’s punches.
Another thing: Zab Judah wanted Mosley to take an independent blood test to prove he was clean ahead of their scheduled fight that was canceled when Judah was injured.
Mosley is promoted by Golden Boy, and Schaefer said then he would not allow Mosley – who agreed to the test – to submit to anything other than what the Nevada commission mandates. Schaefer said Mosley did not need to be treated like a cheat. They are hypocrites.
It’s easy to say Manny Pacquiao should agree to Olympic-style drug-testing if he’s clean. It’s just as easy to say he shouldn’t have to become the first professional boxer to do so just because he is so extraordinarily destructive in the ring and, because, unlike others who have moved up in weight, his body has remained ripped with muscles. As has Mayweather’s.(who weight also 106 during his amateur days and he even bigger than manny now in term of weight.)
If boxing wants to adapt Olympic-style testing, that’s great – as long as it applies to all. Thank you and more power to your mailbag.
-Jr2quiapo
Jr2quiapo,
After all of the passionate screaming I have endured over the past few weeks from fans defending both sides of the argument, it is refreshing to see an email that can see through some of the biases. After this all blows over we can agree that the kind of testing that Mayweather is requesting is reasonable as long as it applies to everyone. Pacquiao being singled out and surprised by this demand was not fair. I think you have convinced me of that, even though I still lay some blame on Pacquiao for this match not coming to fruition.
Cheats In Boxing
I bet Miguel Cotto wished his corner watched Antonio Margarito wrapping his hands closer. But now it’s too late and the loss is still on his record, even after it has been proven that Margarito is loading his hand wraps.
I think Floyd Maywether has every right to put any stipulation he wants in the contract to make the fight fair to him. Manny demanded a $10 million per pound stipulation to make Maywether fight at 147 lbs. and not a pound over but no one said that was crazy. I think Manny has to agree to the Olympic style drug test now because his reputation is at stake. And true boxing fans will boycott any pay per view or records Manny holds from now on.
-Dan Zimmerman
Dan,
The 10 million dollars per pound overweight is a very shocking number and knowing that Mayweather agreed to those terms, it is clear that team Mayweather wants to make this fight and are not just dicking around like some Pacfans are suggesting.
If Olympic style drug testing makes Mayweather feel more comfortable and feel certain that Pacquiao is not cheating I don’t feel that is unreasonable. I am all for stricter regulations in boxing because it seems like the Wild West sometimes. The chemists out there are always a step ahead of the regulatory agencies so I am all for using the best tests available to detect performance enhancing drugs. Hopefully someday a urine test will be all that we need because taking blood from an athlete is not ideal.
But with that said, the request for blood tests has to come from a higher authority than an opponent. NSAC should hold discussions with unbiased scientists to see if they should improve their testing policies. Some people (Mayweathers and perhaps others) are obviously not happy with the current system. I have read interviews with scientists who said that there needs to be more funding into anti-doping test research because they are sure that some dopers are getting away with cheating because the tests are not keeping up with the illegal chemists. In this steroid era of sports, fans are beginning to wonder, who isn’t on steroids?
I am against any boycotts against Manny Pacquiao. He is innocent until proven guilty and I personally believe he is innocent of doping. Plus, he is one of the most exciting and great boxers to come along in a long while. If you boycott his fights you are only cheating yourself out of watching a terrific fight.
Defending Pacquiao’s Refusal
Brian, in your answer to the query of Mr. Julius Pabular, you claimed that:
“The refusal of Pacquiao to agree to these steroid tests has caused public opinion regarding Manny’s use of drugs to turn. Many people now are very suspicious of Pacquiao whereas previously they were not.”
I just want to know what is your basis in making this claim? Can you back this up with actual facts or is this just your opinion? Did many people really “turn” or were these people you are referring to dyed-in-the-wool Pacquiao haters to begin with, who just suddenly became loud and vocal?
And when you say “many”, just exactly how many (percentage wise) in relation to those who support Manny’s position? In other words, who is the public supporting on this issue? It seems to me that majority of the public, both casual boxing fans and knowledgeable aficionados and boxing writers (except perhaps yourself) will be laying the blame on Floyd if the fight does not materialize.
-Yes Yo!
Yes Yo,
As a boxing writer with my email posted on the internet I hear hundreds of opinions. I have a very good feel for public opinion regarding issues such as these. Only hardcore Pacquiao fans, mostly from the Philippines, are taking Manny’s side right now, which I think is unfortunate because I think Pacquiao is innocent and the claims are baseless.
The longer that this issue is strung out, the more people are taking Mayweather’s side it seems. I cannot even count how many times I have heard or read “What is he trying to hide?” Some others have called Pacquiao a wimp for being scared of needles.
The fact is, whether I agree or not (and I don’t), that Pacquiao’s reputation may never recover unless he agrees to the testing. Casual sports fans, and especially Americans, have dealt with so many steroid scandals in the last decade that they pretty much assume guilty any time rumors pop up. I am sorry to say that this is true.
As for blame for this fight not materializing, both guys would share the blame; Mayweather for demanding unprecedented testing and Pacquiao for not compromising on a cutoff date for the blood test.
Baseless Claims
Brian my man,
For the life of me please enlighten me on the previous declarations of the Mayweathers. They say that Pacquiao is a one dimensional fighter, that Lil’ Floyd will simply beat the man, that he is undefeated and have never tasted the canvass, Manny has defeated used up fighters whom Lil’ Floyd beat when they were in their prime, so on and so forth.
But I find it hard to understand Brian, that my man Lil’ Floyd suddenly has so may things on his mind that he cant simply sign the contract and fight that “midget” Pacquiao….WHY??????
-Doubletangoromeo
Doubletangoromeo,
Mayweather was alarmed at how easily Pacquiao defeated De La Hoya, Cotto, and Hatton. He is at the point where he thinks that Pacquiao must be on steroids of some nature in order to achieve those feats. His claims are baseless but that is the way he feels. Mayweather Senior said that his son is the best boxer in the world but if someone is using something illegal then even the best can get hurt.
Even though I think Pacquiao is innocent, I don’t really blame Mayweather for not believing his eyes. When you see a magic trick performed by a magician, you don’t simply believe that guy is magic. You try to figure how he pulled off the trick using logical explanations. The only logical explanation that Mayweather could come up with for Pacquiao’s recent success is performance enhancing drugs.
Perhaps Mayweather sees this as a fight he could lose. Floyd’s ego is so big that he cannot fathom that he could lose to anyone with a level playing field, therefore is demanding that Pacquiao get tested. The idea that someone is naturally better than him does not compute in Floyd’s brain so steroids is the only explanation for him. I truly believe that this is why Mayweather is so stubborn regarding Olympic style blood testing.
Superstitious Of Blood Letting
Hi Brian,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you. It seems to me that you are wondering why Manny doesn’t want to be tested near the fight. The reason is because he believes that giving blood close to the fight will weaken him. That might not be a very rational notion to you or I, but nobody ever said that Pacquiao was the most educated guy in the sport. I don’t claim to know the man personally, but just from observing more than a few of his camp workouts I can tell that he’s superstitious, so who knows what he really believes? That’s why he follow same routine over and over. Filipinos and Americans have very different culture and beliefs. That’s why you don’t understand why Manny didn’t want to give blood near of the fight. And also individuals react differently when they are giving blood, it’s either psychologically or physically.
-jr2quiapo
Jr2quiapo,
Very good points. I think that giving blood is more of a mental disadvantage than anything physical for Pacquiao. Even if you gave blood for this test the day before the fight, you would be 98% at worst. However the fear of the test and its affects could disable you mentally and destroy your focus on fight night if you are superstitious like Pacquiao is about giving blood.
Doubting Pacman
I don’t know about you Brian, but I am really thinking hard that you’ve got doubts on Pacquiao more than anything by now. See the scenario that they have made for Pacquiao? It makes you believe that Pacquiao is on something. This is a scenario where Pacquiao cannot defend himself. People are talking already, lots have doubts on Pacquiao now.
That’s why this lawsuit came my friend. Reputations have already been damage whether you like it or not. And when it comes, you’ll see that the accusers will be the one who will have to find the proof that Pacquiao is on steroids and not the other way around.
My final guess is that you wouldn’t even be doubting Pacquiao had it not been for this fiasco that was made by the Mayweathers and GBP.
If the Mayweather would agree to a 14 day or even 10 day cut off, then I am pretty sure Pacman would think of it, but I don’t think the Mayweathers would likely agree to that scenario
-Benjie
Benjie,
If they had the cutoff date of 14 days, or even 10 days, prior to fight time then they both would have plenty of time to recover from a little pin prick. I give blood often and feel no ill effects after 3 or 4 days max.
I have friends who are hardcore Pacquiao fans but the complex situation that has unfolded has them doubting whether or not Manny in on steroids. That is unfortunate because I think that Pacquiao is innocent. I’ve never doubted his innocence, which is why I wish he would just agree to do the blood tests and shut the Mayweathers up. And more importantly, we could get on with the fight!
Last I heard before the negotiations completely broke down was that the two sides were trying to come up with a cutoff date for the blood testing. However I think that too much damage and disrespect has been done for a deal to be reached at this time. The lawsuit that Pacquiao filed was the final straw. Perhaps in a few months or a year the tempers will calm and we can try again.
After reading the defamation lawsuit that Pacquiao filed I think he might actually have a case if he has a good enough lawyer. We’ll see how the judge feels. He will probably be able to peg Floyd Senior and Roger, but I’m not so sure about Oscar, Junior or Schaeffer.
Burden of Proof and Presumption of Innocence
Brian,
Its so sad that a lot of people still don’t understand that the burden of proof is on the accuser not the accused. They still can’t comprehend the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
Until they experience themselves how it feels to be in such a predicament, these basic tenets of true justice will never be appreciated or exercised.
It’s just so sad, after all these centuries, in boxing or much more in life, many still don’t get it!
Happy Holidays,
-Tito
Tito,
I agree that this situation is extremely unfair for Manny Pacquiao, and even though last week I said that he does not have a lawsuit, I have since changed my mind. Manny just might be able to win this defamation lawsuit against Golden Boy and the Mayweather clan because his reputation has definitely taken a hit and there is no evidence to support his loss of reputation. If Manny’s lawyer can prove that the defendants are to blame for this circulation of vicious rumors and acted deliberately then he will win.
Okay folks, now that we have moved on from the disaster that is the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao negotiations I look forward to your emails on other boxing topics, including who you think Mayweather and Pacquiao should fight next. See you next time!
