I’ve been running my mouth on HBO’s Boxing Forum on this much-debated topic. To get the conversation started here, I’ll present the 
cases against each defendant in this crime on boxing and then let you be the judge of who deserves the most blame.
The Accused
- Bob Arum. "Manny doesn’t like needles." Yet Pacquiao has enough tattoos to make Dennis Rodman proud. "My fighter feels that losing blood so close (within 30 days) to the fight weakens him." Yet the Pac Man is shown on HBO’s Hatton-Pacquiao 24×7 having blood drawn 24 days before their fight last May. Beyond these head-scratchers, Arum’s arrogance and hubris didn’t stop there. He initially flirted with the prospect of Pacquiao facing off against Yuri Foreman, while still negotiating Pacquiao-Mayweather. Even worse, he was chastised by the mediator, who was brought in to salvage the fight, for misrepresenting details of the negotiations. To be fair, Bob Arum has brought us many superfights, but I will not forget his leading man role in this fiasco.
- Golden Boy Promotions (GBP). Bob Arum and GBP CEO Richar Schaefer were both involved in this fight-jacking. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face, Oscar De La Hoya has reportedly suggested that Pacquiao’s successful ascension in weight has been aided by performance-enhancing drugs (PED). Making matters worse, his GBP cohort Shane Mosley, a busted PED user, has implied that Pac Man is a cheat. Yes, hypocrisy knows no limit. Oscar De La Hoya KTFO’d Fernando Vargas who was juicing when they fought. He also nearly beat Shane Mosley in their rematch even though Shane was apparently juicing prior to the fight. My point: even if they suspected Pacquiao of juicing, was it enough of an issue to beef over when PED use hasn’t even proven itself positive in the ring?
- Floyd Mayweather. Many boxing pundits say that Manny Pacquiao is the best fighter in the world today. Floyd thinks that he’s the best boxer of all-time. Floyd belittles Manny Pacquiao for being knocked out twice early in his career and losing a tough fight to Erik Morales. But Floyd proclaims that he’s undefeated, and thus better. I have come to expect such exaggeration and hyperbole from Mayweather, but I never thought that I’d see the day when he put $40 million at risk over an issue like random blood testing. Was he simply responding to whispers that he had heard around the gyms about Pacquiao? Maybe he was being swayed by his father’s scathing accusations about the Pac Man and wanted to call the man’s bluff? Or maybe he was looking for a way out of this risky fight? He calls himself Money, but his nickname and reputation have definitely taken a hit.
- Manny Pacquiao. Pac Man was in a position of power during these negotiations. He’s coming off more impressive wins than Mayweather. He’s the boxer that more people like because of his everyman personality outside of the ring and his gladiator mentality inside it. He was likely able to leverage these facts based on the fact that the Mayweather camp agreed to an unprecedented fine for coming in over-the-weight as well the smaller glove size, favoring Pacquiao’s less brittle hands. With these concessions, why protest so much over random blood testing if you are as clean as you say you are? Rightly or wrongly, that is the question that I and many boxing fans will be asking ourselves for some time. And sorry Manny, fighting the man (Joshua Clottey) who just lost to the man (Cotto) that you destroyed does not cut it as a replacement for Mayweather.
Who do you think deserves most of the blame in the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao failure?
Before you hang Pacquiao with the others, you need to watch the 2005 Pac interview after he lost to Erik Morales. Keep in mind that this is his only loss in the past 10 years. He got dizzy 30 minutes after they drew blood and felt so weak that even Morales said Manny’s punches did not sting.
Granting the circumstances then were different, but can you blame the guy for trying to avoid making the same mistake twice? As we have all seen Manny wants to give the performance all boxing fans expect from him so it is no longer a matter of money but a matter of honor. He does not want to jeopardize his performance because someone said “hey, you do drugs!” without any back up.
Now that he lawsuit is on, the truth shall prevail. Floyd & Co will get all the chances to prove Manny does use drugs as they alleged. If Pacquiao is guilty, he will be hung by the Filipinos who will also take away the congressional seat he will surely win and will forever live in abject shame. But if Manny will be proven innocent then Floyd & GBP will have to eat crow, pay the ten$ of million$ in damages, then STILL have to fight a now furious Pacquiao.
@JP Great comment! I am not saying yay or nay on whether Pac Man is dirty…just presenting the arguments…call me Judge Ja, you as a member of the jury will decide. 🙂 Seriously, winning the lawsuit will not really prove anything as far as the doping goes. That’s really just whether what Mayweather and co. are saying will qualify as slander based on Pacquiao’s clean track record, etc. And whether this slander has potentially cost him millions of dollars. OK, maybe I’m not a lawyer, but they just need to fight already!
@Ja Dawson: I’m probably as frustrated as the next guy but if we disect this whole fiasco we will see that the root cause of it all was Floyd Sr’s allegations of substance use 3 months ago. If it was just to play mind games with Manny, then it was a ploy that went terribly out of control.
I am no lawyer either but as for the lawsuit, slander needs to be disproved in order for the statement to be damaging. If the statement proved true, then the lawsuit falls apart. That’s why chances are Manny is clean and the Floyd lawyers are asking them to stop making comments to avoid digging a deeper hole.
I do not blame anyone other than Americans; it is our mentality to accuse others. For example, Iraq. Did we have any evidence that Iraq had the WMD? No. However, we felt it was necessary to destroy a nation based on nothing, just as we are doing with Manny’s reputation. It only shows that we, Americans, are insecured and pathetic. I know it is hard to admit it, but it is the truth.
I do not agree with your statement here. And not because I’m American. I do not believe it because: this has nothing to do with culture but all about two men jockying for an advantage and one (mayweather) trying to expose or rattle another one (pacquiao) for whatever reason. The war analogy isn’t appropriate here but everyone is entitled to their opinion.
I do not agree with your statement here. And not because I’m American. I do not believe it because: this has nothing to do with culture but all about two men jockying for an advantage and one (mayweather) trying to expose or rattle another one (pacquiao) for whatever reason. The war analogy isn’t appropriate here but everyone is entitled to their opinion.
As much as I would like to blame Manny Pacquaio for deciding not to go throug with this fight of the highest magnitude, I have to more so blame the Mayweather camp. Mayweather wanted to make up his own rules, so it seems. AlthoughI feel whenever they fight no matter the circumstances, Floyd Mayweather wins that fight but be willing prove yourself and show that you are the p4p king. Bottom line here is both camps are to blame. This is highway robbery at it’s highest level!
Mayweaher more to blame but both camps should reallly be ashamed of themselves. Too much money and really a chance to save the dying sport
@mark maddox: well-put mark. thanks for writing; it’s been awhile. how do you see the fight turning out WHEN it eventually takes place? I hope it doesn’t go down like Norris-Chavez or Bowe-Lewis and NEVER take place.
Mark, I think it’s 50-50, like the money split! 🙂 When both sides can’t agree, both sides are to blame…and there has been enough nonsense on both sides for me to lambast them equally!
@Ja Dawson: If you blame Pacquiao for being adamant of not taking blood tests too close to the fight, you might want to watch his 2005 post-Erik Morales interview after he suffered his only loss in the last 10 years. He got dizzy 30 minutes after they drew blood. Morales even stated that there was no sting in Manny’s punches.
It is because of this traumatic experience that he just wants to avoid making the same mistake twice. He knows that to do the test that did damage to him in an unproven timeline will be too risky that’s why he’s ok with 24 days because he already duid that. The sad thing is that he is made through all these hoops because Floyd & Co accused him of doing drugs. Manny is a victim here so to blame the victim is like putting shame on someone whose house just burned down.
We must all remember thet THERE IS NO EVIDENCE and Manny has passed all of the tests they threw at him. How would you feel if let’s say you left your car in the parking lot with a busted bumper then I would come to your office and tell everyone you were drunk coming to work that’s why you smashed the car? I don’t know you from Adam but would you be alright if I asked you to take a breathalyzer test?
JP, I am not saying Pac is taking PEDs, but I’m simply playing the other side. Saying there is no evidence means very little, because the way Nevada’s testing is, without random blood (not urine) testing, the tests can be beat. Shoot, Mosley beat all of the tests – he was only caught up during the Balco investigation, which had nothing to do with boxing. That being said, I think the true victims here are boxing fans, not millionaire athletes who prevented us from seeing the latest “Fight of the Century.”
Whose to blame??
20-40 million dollars and a needle stopped it! Clearly the person not to comply is to blame. 20-40 million??
My job gives drug tests. They dont tell me when or else I’d beat it! There is no reason why I wouldn’t take 20-40 million DOLLARS to fight!! What would be your reason to turn down 20-40 MILLION DOLLARS!
WHAT??? WHose at Fault??? WHAT??
Philly Lou, I hear you but obviously emotions seem to be at play, regarding Pacquiao NOT submitting to Mayweather’s demands. I’m just trying to present data supporting both sides as best possible, but people can’t help themselves when they reply; you really see that people defend/justify their favorite fighters rather than to take a broader, more balanced, approach.
good article. ‘ lack of money’ blew it.
Manny Pacquiao is willing to take blood for PED test. Manny Pacquiao wants blood test but in a proper way, not one day before the fight or the day of the fight. It is not enough 24 days before the fight, but most importantly, he’s willing to give blood after the fight. The Doctor’s can examine immediately if Pacquiao is taking enhancement drugs. Mayweather’s Camp is insisting on a random blood test which does not make sense, considering Pacquiao’s proposal for taking the blood tests.
Lack of Money. Good one tom.
@jorge michael Jorge, you realize that PEDs can “beat” a testing window? That’s the whole purpose of undergoing RANDOM testing. I think Mayweather should have accepted the 24-day window personally, but it is what it is. Just sucks that March will NOT be a great month for boxing.
Pacquiao needs to stop being a little girl and agree to the Mayweather’s demands!!
I’ve never heard of a more evasive excuse than this croc of crap that Pacquiao says to avoid fighting Mayweather. We dont need the fight in any case to know that Pacquiao would be decimated by Mayweather and I am neutral towards either fighter, but I wholeheartedly commend Mayweather for putting this PED issue on the table.
Now all you pro Pacquiao fans can rant and rave all you like in defense of Pacquiao but the truth is if he was any kind of man he would’nt be bothered by a prick in the arm.
Ross, but to play the other side, Floyd should still take the fight if he’s that comfortable/confident with the advantage, in my opinion.
mayweather is at fault without a doubt , who the hell does he think he is , the boxing commission makes the rules , and they are the rules that need to be adhered to , i think it was a case of shift the goal posts , regardless of who wins the fight , manny is the far superior person .
Well, both have been guilty of bending the rules…with these catch-weights, changing glove sizes, etc. I guess the blood testing is more of a stretch, but contractual posturing is not new or limited to Mayweather or Pacquiao. Let’s just hope the fight happens. On the surface, PacMan appears to be the cooler individual, but this is prize-fighting. I just want a good fight. 🙂 Thanks for writing!
was it moral to bet on morel last sat?