Published by Tribune-USA Newspaper: HOT POTATO – In an exclusive interview Tuesday at Fortune Gym on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, Top Rank Godfather Robert “Bob” Arum takes the viral heat of the potentially biggest fight of the century – Floyd Mayweather, Jr. versus Manny Pacquiao – that centers on the issue of blood-testing. Arum said Olympic style blood-testing is okay.
“But, why should it be done by the United States Anti-doping Agency (USADA) when you have a Philippine fighter and an American fighter?” He continues, “Wouldn’t it be better if it would be done by the Olympic drug-testing organization?”
Arum points out, “Wouldn’t that be fair because it would be neutral? And, shouldn’t it be done under the auspices of a boxing commission?” Arum asserts, referring to the drug-testing demanded by Mayweather, Jr. through which the latter wanted it to be done by USADA.
USADA, founded in 2000, is the national anti-doping organization in the United States, recognized by the United States Congress as “the official anti-doping agency” for Olympic , Pan American and Paralympic sport in the United States. It is a non-for profit and non-governmental organization but funded by a U.S. federal grant and with revenue generated from anti-doping testing contracts between USADA and the United States Olympic Committee and other organizations.
Mayweather, Jr. wants Olympic style random blood-testing done by USADA. But, Arum lambasted him and his cohorts saying that such demand is a non-sense, saying “what is being done now is absurd!”, implying about the USADA protocol which has been agreed upon by both Golden Boy Promotions and Mayweather Promotions to be used for the Mayweather-Ortiz fight on September 17.
Here’s the picture:”USADA tests these two fighters and the Nevada State Athletic Commission is responsible for the fight. So, if one of the fighters is tested dirty, what can happen?” explodes Arum in red-hot countenance. “I mean, nobody can sort this thing out. This is absolutely absurd! There’s nothing wrong with Olympic drug-testing. But it has to be done in a sensible, fair manner.”
“We have agreed in the Pacquiao camp to unlimited random testing done by a responsible, neutral organization. We don’t believe USADA is a neutral organization.”
Arum adheres, “I don’t think anybody’s test is as vigorous as the test administered by the Olympic Organization. And we can arrange for the Olympic Organization to handle the test under the supervision of the Athletic commission respective of the state where the fight is going to be held.”
Arum believes his team has done enough to meet Mayweather, Jr at the most conceivable terms. But,”We’re not going to make this into a cowboy situation. We have an organization that has no authority (USADA) and even does it (blood-testing) without reporting to an organization that is responsible for the conduct of the fight.” He adds.
But, Mayweather insists, “I just want to make it right from the start; I want to make sure both of us would have clean blood on fight night.”
Mayweather, Jr., who relies on the advancement of technology to prove his worth and is banking on a better and almost definitive test, also insists on random blood testing up to fight night, which Pacquiao disagrees. Mayweather, Jr., nevertheless, thought that such remedial Olympic style of random testing is the only fair means to put up a clean fight right from the start, being free from potential use of performance enhancing drugs, not just by Pacquiao but also by himself, the defensive party. Mayweather, nonetheless, further insists that such random blood-testing must only be done by USADA.
Meanwhile, Arum says Mayweather, Jr. does not cross his team’s radar. Pacquiao can exit boxing remarkably even without a Mayweather fight.
