MANILA, Philippines - Ang isyung pumatay sa isa sanang megafight sa pagitan nina Manny Pacquiao at Floyd Mayweather, Jr. ay hindi man lamang naging problema sa kampo ni Joshua Clottey.
Ipinilit ni Mayweather ang pagsasailalim nila ni Pacquiao sa isang Olympic-style drug testing na siyang naging dahilan ng pagkakabasura ng kanilang negosasyon.
Ang Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) ay nag-uutos lamang sa mga boksingero na dumaan sa urine tests at hindi ang gustong random blood tests ni Mayweather.
Sa isang media conference call kahapon, sinabi ni Bob Arum ng Top Rank Promotions na ang NSAC ang may karapatang magdesisyon ukol sa pagkakaroon ng bagong pagsusuri at hindi si Mayweather.
“My view is that is something for the commission to decide and if any participant in a boxing match wants more stringent testing, he should go before the commission and present his case,” ani Arum. “That’s not for a bunch of amateurs to start talking about and making demands.”
Kinatigan naman ni Vinny Scolpino, manager ni Clottey, si Arum.
“If a commission wants to implement more rules, let them and we’ll follow. Manny is a super-champion and we all hope that he’s doing the right thing. If he’s not, the commission will find it in their drug testing and that’s they way it is,” ani Scolpino.
Sa pagbagsak ng usapan, kinuha ni Arum si Clottey, may 35-3-0 win-loss-draw ring record kasama ang 20 KO, laban kay Pacquiao (50-3-2, 38 KO) kapalit ni Mayweather (40-0, 25 KO).
Nakatakdang idepensa ni Pacquiao ang kanyang suot na World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight crown laban kay Clottey sa Marso 13 sa Cowboys Stadium sa Arlington, Texas.
Makakaharap naman ni Mayweather si Sugar Shane Mosley sa Mayo 1 sa Las Vegas, Nevada kung saan kapwa sila pumayag na sumailalim sa Olympic-style drug testing.
“Life goes on,” sabi ni Arum. “If Joshua beats Manny, who knows? Maybe Mosley beats Mayweather and we do a Mosley vs. Clottey fight. Who the hell knows?”