Pacquiao dares Mayweather: Redeem yourself, fight me in 2016
Boxing champ Manny Pacquiao is both happy and sad over reports that Floyd Mayweather allegedly violated a drug testing policy during their megabuck matchup in Las Vegas four months ago.
The SB Nation sports news website said Mayweather received an illegal intravenous (IV) therapy consisting of two separate mixes of saline and vitamins before the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight last May 2 to fight off dehydration.
The SB Nation report said Mayweather’s infusion had come to light after United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) agents visited the boxer at his Las Vegas home on Friday May 1, the day before the Pacquiao fight, to conduct a random test.
While the substances in question were not prohibited under WADA rules, the report said administering them intravenously was a breach of WADA regulations.
WADA guidelines say IV infusions are prohibited because they can be used to mask the use
of performance enhancing drugs, increase plasma volume levels and distort the values of an athlete’s biological passport.
Vindicated
“I am happy that finally the truth is out. I was vindicated,” Pacquiao said from General Santos.
“(The) Mayweather camp accused me of using PEDs (performanceenhancing drugs). Now look what happened. It was him who was violating the rules afterall.”
“I hope Floyd Mayweather would learn a good lesson out of (the experience).”
Pacquiao and Mayweather have engaged in a long-running feud which has not abated since the American won their only meeting, for the World Boxing Organization welterweight title, on points.
Mayweather, who is looking to extend his unblemished 49-0 record against Andre Berto on Saturday, insisted he was a “clean athlete” after the injection came to light.
“I follow and have always followed the rules of Nevada and USADA, the gold standard of drug testing,” he said in a statement.
“I am very proud to be a clean athlete and will continue to champion the cause,” Mayweather added.
“Biruin mo tiniis ko ang matinding sakit ng right shoulder ko from 4th to 12th round, hindi ako sumuko, para hindi mapahiya sa mga fans ko. Sinunod natin ang patakaran ng NSAC kahit ultimo mineral water at energy vitamin ko na matagal ko ng ginagamit ay hindi nila pinayagang dalhin ko sa loob ng dressing room (Imagine, I endured the intense pain on my right shoulder from the 4th to the 12th round. I did not give up because I did not want to embarrass my fans. I followed the rules of the Nevada State Athletic Commission that even the mineral water and energy vitamin that I had been using for a long time were not allowed in my dressing room,” said Pacquiao, who lost the 12round unanimous decision.
The US Anti-Doping Agency handled the random drug testing as demanded by Mayweather and it appeared the NSAC, which had jurisdiction over the record-breaking fight held at the MGM Grand, apparently did nothing even if the intravenous administration is prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Redeeming grace “For the sake of fairness and for the good of the sport, the NSAC must be consistent. Kung kailangang magimpose ng appropriate sanction dapat gawin ng NSAC (If a sanction has to be imposed NSAC must do it) to sustain its credibility and to show to the world na wala itong (there is no) preferential treatment na ibinibigay sa (given to the) Mayweather camp,” Pacquiao said.
Mayweather is scheduled to face Andre Berto tomorrow in what is being billed as his last fight.
But Pacquiao believes the only way Mayweather can redeem himself is to grant him a rematch next year.
“Kaya gusto kung magrematch kami. Yung wala na akong injury at dapat fair play, walang lamangan. Hindi yong halos lahat ng terms and conditions Mayweather camp ang nagdidikta. Di bale na dehado tayo sa hatian sa pera basta’t pagdating sa ibang aspeto ng laban, dapat fair (That is why I want a rematch when I no longer have an injury. And the fight should be fair. No tricks. And the camp of Mayweather should not dictate on the terms and conditions of the fight. I don’t mind getting a lesser share in the purse. When it comes to boxing, I want everything to be fair,” said the 36-year-old Pacquiao, who underwent an operation on his right rotator cuff four days after the loss.
Shortly after the fight, Pacquiao was castigated for being a sore loser for claiming that he wasn’t 100 percent owing to the injury.
But fresh claims that Mayweather may have committed a graver mistake, something that is the most gruesome violation in the fight game, has suddenly made Pacquiao’s excuse not only acceptable but believable.