Source: abs-cbnnews.com
-- Top Rank promoter Bob Arum has made a “final offer” to the camp of Floyd Mayweather Jr. aimed at settling the blood test issue that threatens to cancel the American's much-awaited fight with Filipino boxing sensation Manny Pacquiao.
Arum, who represents Pacquiao, offered to have the drug testing decided by Nevada State Athletic Commission officials.
"We'll go along with what the Nevada commission decides," Arum said. "We want this fight to go forward."
Under Arum’s terms, Pacquiao will allow three blood tests. This test, however, can not be done within 30 days of the fight, unless the commission decided otherwise.
If Mayweather's camp won't let the Nevada State Athletic Commission have the last say on the blood tests, Arum said he will sign a deal for Pacquiao to face Paulie Malignaggi on March 13.
"This offer will be made to them," Arum said in a separate report by Boxing.FanHouse.com. "And if they don't accept this offer, it will demonstrate completely that they don't want the fight."
The Top Rank head honcho has given Mayweather and his representative, Golden Boy Promotions, until Monday (Tuesday in Manila) to decide.
Pacquiao, for his part, said he will not hesitate to fight someone else should Mayweather refuse the offer.
The new World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champ said he is very much willing to fight Mayweather, but he doubts whether the former pound-for-pound king really wants to fight him.
"If Floyd Mayweather Jr. truly ever wanted to fight me, and he is not really scared, he would accept these terms I am willing to give him as they are above and beyond what the commission demands," Pacquiao said.
Team Mwayweather turns down offer
But Richard Schaefer, chief executive of Mayweather-backers Golden Boy Promotions, said no tests within 30 days of the fight would make the entire blood test program useless.
Schaefer and Mayweather's adviser Leonard Ellerbe thumbed down the offer from Top Rank.
“Random is random. We are all intelligent people and we know what random testing is. That is what we want and it has not changed,” said Ellerbe.
“It does not make sense for this to become a commission matter. This is a contractual matter. The commission did not decide the weights or the purse split or how the foreign television rights would be sold.
“If this is Bob’s final ultimatum, then that’s what it is. That is his decision if he wants to take that position. I very much hope this fight can be made, but the reason it is at a standstill is because of the way they have handled things,” Schaefer said.
The Mayweather camp says their demand for blood doping tests is vital to ensuring a fair fight. It has backed down on demands for random blood tests at any time before the fight.
On the other hand, Pacquiao, concerned that the blood tests will weaken him, wants none within 30 days of the fight, but favors it after the bout.
The March 13 showdown in Las Vegas could be the biggest moneymaker in boxing history.
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