Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather are still the biggest names in boxing today, and a fight between the two is still what nearly all of the fans want. In amongst all the usual bluster and bravado from both camps, it looks like the fight might be renegotiated later on in the year, when both parties have sufficient time to talk through their differences without a time limit.
But other than the fact that both fighters will probably have another win on their respective records, will anything have actually changed between now and later on in the year when the fight begins to get talked about in earnest again?
Since the steroid drama and subsequent testing demands from Mayweather (which he is now apparently insisting on for all future opponents) don?t look like going away anytime soon, the only other option would be that Pacquiao might agree to the extra testing. On the other hand though, Pacquiao now has another ace in the hole which he can counter Floyd?s testing demands with, a change of venue.
It came to light recently that Mayweather uses a variety of hand numbing injected drugs such as Xylocaine, which are banned in all of the United States apart from Nevada, which goes some way to explain why Floyd is always so adamant about fighting in Las Vegas, even when bigger and better venues are on offer.
During the next set of negotiations Pacquiao could agree to the extra testing but insist that in return he chooses the location, and pic somewhere outside Nevada. Floyds own use of what is quintessentially a performance enhancing drug would then be prevented, effectively leveling the playing field by putting both at a disadvantage. Manny might have a sore arm leading up to the fight, but equally Floyd?s notoriously brittle hands would mean his punching power would be lessened, and his work rate might also suffer.
In terms of other leverage such as purse split, claim to being the best pound for pound fighter etc, nothing much will probably have changed. The only significant difference might come if Mayweather chooses a much lower level opponent than Joshua Clottey and struggles, which would loser his stock somewhat, but other than that, all things will be more or less the same as the last time out.
The two compromises then appear to be that Manny take the extra tests and Floyd is denied the use of his pain killers by the fight being held outside Nevada. The other alternative is for the fight to be held in Vegas but for Floyd to drop the extra testing issue once and for all. Which if either will happen will have to remain to be seen for now, but the fight will almost certainly be negotiated again, even if that is as far as it goes.
