One of Mayweather, Jr's advisers yesterday reiterated the American boxer's stand that only random Olympic-style blood testing for banned substances would be acceptable for the fight against Manny Pacquiao to happen three months from now.
Leonard Ellerbe made the statement in an interview with the Grand Rapids Press and in response to what Arum laid down the other day which the Top Rank boss said was his "last proposal" to salvage the bout originally set on March 13.
"If the fight doesn't materialize, it will be because of Manny Pacquiao's unwillingness to take random blood and urine tests, and I don't understand why," Ellerbe said.
In an offer that has a "take-it-or-leave-it" baggage, Arum recommended on Sunday entirely different series of tests to counter that of the Mayweathers'. In his suggestion, the tests will be handled by the Nevada Athletic Commission, which will have a say when and how many tests would be made.
Yet under Arum's proposal, there were already three dates when the tests would be made- the January press conference, another one that is no closer than 30 days before the fight, and one immediately after the bout.
"We will go along with what the Nevada commission decides. We will give them back a blank check," Arum said. "We want this fight to go forward."
Arum said that Pacquiao will not go further with the proposal, and if ever Mayweather, Jr. decides to insist on the Olympic- style blood testing, he will begin negotiations with the camp of Paul Malignaggi for a March fight starting today.
Arum said that it will take one hour for the fight to be signed.
Ellerbe, on the other hand, simply balked at Arum's idea.
Ellerbe implied that blood and urine tests will be useless if scheduled."The whole idea of doing scheduled blood and urine testing is absurd," Ellerbe said. "With all due respect to the Nevada Commission, Keith Kizer (Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director) has publicly gone on record and said they wouldn't be able to handle this particular issue at this particular time," Ellerbe said.
But while trying to insist on what type of drug tests should be imposed, Ellerbe said that their camp is still focused on making the best deal to make the fight - expected to be the richest ever with both fighters likely to earn at least #30 million each-push through.
"Our focus is on making a deal," he said.
Which is why Mayweather, Jr., unlike Pacquiao, has no Plan b.
Ellerbe said that the former pound-for-pound king before Pacquiao has not entertained thoughts of pushing toward a back-up plan.
SOURCE: PEOPLE'S JOURNAL
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