NEW YORK—Floyd Mayweather Jr. was in New York on Tuesday to announce his first fight in 16 months against World Boxing Conference welterweight champion Victor Ortiz, but it was the subtext of his rivalry with Manny Pacquiao as best pound-for-pound fighter in the world that remains more compelling than the main event scheduled on September 17 in Las Vegas.
Clearly, Pacquiao was much on Mayweather’s mind when he began his news conference remarks. Noting that Ortiz (29-2-2, 29 knockouts) agreed to unlimited drug testing by the US Antidoping Agency, Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs) segued to the subject of failed negotiations for a Pacquiao fight the past two years, blaming it on Pacquiao’s original demand it be confined to a specific prefight period.
“Do I want a Pacquiao fight?” Mayweather said. “Absolutely. If that’s what the fans want, I want to give it to them.” But he added, “To the media, I must touch on the Pacquiao situation. It’s not just Pacquiao, it’s sports. You look at the Olympics, and they’re cheating. They’re cheating in sports, period.”
Mayweather insisted he’s not worried about protecting his undefeated record, but he’s worried about the possibility of facing fighters using performance-enhancing drugs.
“If you beat me, I want you to earn it,” Mayweather said. “Just take the test.”
Mayweather is being sued by Top Rank promoter Bob Arum for defamation over allegations that Pacquiao has used steroids to fuel his climb from the 106-pound division to win titles in eight weight classes up to 154-pound light-middleweight.
Mayweather said, “I never said [Pacquiao] took steroids or ‘enhancement’ drugs.”
At the same time, Mayweather questioned how a fighter in the middle of his career suddenly could become a star and go so far up in weight. Introducing an ethnic element, Mayweather wondered why baseball home-run king Barry Bonds received so much criticism for alleged steroid use compared with Pacquiao.
“This is an American,” Mayweather said of Bonds. “But yet, we could have another guy come from another country, and he can go from a small weight all the way up…and it’s no problem.
“All I’m saying is the world wants the fight, so let us both take the test.”
Contacted on Tuesday in Puerto Rico, Arum said, “What Floyd is doing is reprehensible. He has accused Manny of taking performance-enhancing drugs.”
Arum said Pacquiao originally balked at blood testing close to a fight, but that stance has changed. “In the last negotiations, we agreed to unlimited testing,” Arum said.
So, is Mayweather-Pacquiao any closer?
Mayweather and Arum both agreed on that answer. “No.”
IN PHOTO -- Floyd Mayweather Jr. entertains a possible duel with Manny Pacquiao, but as usual, leaves everything in the air. --AP
