The world champion Manny Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum will choose another opponent for the Filipino fighter after failing to reach a deal for the WBO welterweight title bout with American Floyd Mayweather Jr. Talks between Arum's Top Rank and Mayweather's Golden Boy promoters have stalled over the issue of random blood testing, demanded by Mayweather's team and rejected by Pacquiao. Arum set a Monday deadline for Golden Boy to accept a "final offer" in which both sides let the Nevada State Athletic Commission make the final decision on testing.
Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions, said there was no question of accepting that proposal. "Random is random. We are not backing off and the ball is in their court," he said. Arum said if that was the stance of the Mayweather team then he would announce another opponent for March. "If that is the case then tomorrow morning we will announce who Manny will fight on March 13 and it won't be Floyd Mayweather," Arum said.
"Mayweather and his people have never cared about the good of boxing and it is Manny that has brought boxing back," he added. Pacquiao won the WBO title in November by stopping holder Miguel Cotto in the 12th round in Las Vegas. The Filipino (50-3-2) won an unprecedented seventh title in seven weight classes to set up the best pound-for-pound showdown against unbeaten Mayweather (40-0). Arum said Pacquiao had no objection to blood testing up to 30 days before a fight or after a fight and random urine testing at any time and added he believed that there were ulterior motives.
"This is a false issue that is being raised for maybe three reasons. One, an attempt to smear Pacquiao," he said. "Number two because it is convenient way for Mayweather to not fight Pacquiao who he knows he can't beat. "Number three there is the possibility it is a way to disconcert Pacquiao who they know and knew doesn't like to give blood immediately in the weeks prior to a fight when he is in training because he believes, rightly or wrongly, that it saps his strength." * With agencies
