Pacquiao, tumangging magpa-drug test

MANILA, Philippines - Pagkatapos matukoy ang venue, may panibagong issue na naman na kailangang ayusin sa negosasyon para sa Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather megafight na napagkasunduan na sa Marso 13 sa MGM Grand.

Tinanggihan diumano ni Pacquiao ang mungkahing araw ng pagkuha ng Olympic drug testing na isasagawa ng US Anti Doping Agency (USADA) ng kampo ni Mayweather ayon sa fighthype.com na posibleng makasira sa negosasyon.

Ayon kay Richard Schaefer ng Golden Boy Promotions na kumakatawan kay Mayweather, tinawagan siya ni Top Rank President Todd deBoef na representative ni Pacquiao na hindi papayag si Pacquiao kung kukunan siya ng dugo, 30 araw bago ang laban dahil sa pamahiin nitong masama ito kung gagawin kapag malapit na masyado ang laban.

“Todd told me that Pacquiao has difficulty with taking blood and doesn’t want to do it so close to the fight. “He, Pacquiao would only agree to have blood drawn before the kickoff news conference and after the fight,” ani Schaefer.

Sa Olympic drug testing, kailangang kumuha ng dugo at ihi bago at pagkatapos ng laban. Ang iba kasing substance ay hindi lumalabas sa urine test.

“It is unfortunate to hear this from Manny Pacquiaos representatives, particularly since, as of today, both parties had worked out all other issues related to this fight,” ani Schaefer. “Team Mayweather is certainly surprised that an elite athlete like Manny Pacquiao would refuse drug testing procedures which Floyd has already agreed to and have been agreed to by many other top athletes such as Lance Armstrong and Olympians Michael Phelps, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.”

Sinabi ni Mayweather na kailangang magpaliwanag ni Pacquiao kung ayaw niyang pupugin siya ng media sa pagbatikos ukol sa kanyang status na drug free athlete.

“I understand Pacquiao not liking his blood taken, because frankly I don’t know anyone who really does, “ ani Mayweather. “ But in a fight of this Magnitude, I think it is our responsibility to subject ourselves to sportsmanship at the highest level . I have already agreed to the testing and it is a shame that he is not willing to do the same. I hope this is either some miscommunication or that Manny will change his mind and step up and allow these test, which were good enough for all the other great athletes to be performed by USADA.”

Samantala pumayag naman ang kampo ni Mayweather na $10 milyon ang multa sa bawat librang lalagpas sa itinakdang 147 weight limit.

“We agreed to $10 million per pound, or fraction thereof… That’s what the Pacquiao side wanted and we said OK to that. That’s unheard of.” ani Schaefer.