Mayweather-Pacquiao: In the Judges' hands

Manny Pacquiao filed a defamation suit against Floyd Mayweather and his handlers this afternoon, following through on last week's promise to take team Mayweather to court over insinuations that the current pound-for-pound champion takes performance enhancing drugs.

The move is the latest, most serious turn in a nasty back-and-forth between the world's two top boxers, and threatens to derail a bout that would be the richest (a record $50 million purse) and most significant of each man's career.

Final negotiations for the proposed March 13 superfight between the world's two top boxers broke down last week, when Pacquiao continued to refuse to agree to Olympic-style random drug testing. Mayweather's negatiating team, headed by Golden Boy Promotions executive RIchard Schaefer, insisted on more stringent testing as a condition of making the bout, while Pacquiao maintains that the standard state commission testing is adequate.

While the state of Nevada, where the bout would likely take place, requires urine tests before and after the bout, the Olympic-style testing Mayweather wants allows for random blood and urine testing at any time from the agreement to fight until the night of the bout.

In his 12-page statement of claim (available here) Pacquiao, a world champ in seven divisions and the world's top pound-for-pound fighter, alleges that Mayweather's desire to institute tougher testing protocols is part of a three-month campaign to destroy Pacquiao's reputation.

The claim -- which also names Schaefer, Floyd Mayweather Sr., trainer Roger Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya -- says all five men are  "motivated by ill-will, spite, malice, revenge and envy." 

Pacquaio's lawsuit doesn't ask for a set amount of damages, but does request that team Mayweather pay damages, punitive fees and legal costs in connection with a litany of transgressions, including:

* A September interview with the Grand Rapids Press in which Mayweather Sr. accuses Pacquaio of doping.

* A blog entry from De La Hoya in which he compares fighting Pacquiao to fighting Fernando Vargas and Shane Mosley, two past opponents who were later revealed as steroid users.

* An October radio interview in which Mayweather was asked about Pacquiao's physical development and answered in part that the "Philippines got the best enhancing drugs."

None of the allegations have yet been proven in court.

A week after the biggest impasse in negotiations for the proposed superfight became public, the emphatically underscores how close this bout is to falling through.

Pacquiao had maintained that he would take a blood test, but not within 30 days of the fight. But earlier this week his own promoter, Bob Arum, reminded him and the sports public that Pacquiao had taken a blood test 24 days before destroying Ricky Hatton. 

Still neither Schaefer nor Pacquiao attorney Daniel Petrocelli thinks the lawsuit means the fight is off. Petrocelli says the suit is simply an necessary measure against the negative press his client has endured since Mayweather Sr. first accused him of doping, and Schaefer thinks the two camps can still reach a deal.

"The fact is Floyd Mayweather is ready, willing and able to fight Manny Pacquiao," Schaefer told ESPN.com. "(Golden Boy marketing manager) Bruce Binkow has told me that conversations are ongoing with Todd duBoef from Top Rank to find a solution to get this fight done, and just because there is a lawsuit, Todd has not represented to Bruce that they should stop talking."

Comments

[J]

Let the fight begin. In court and in the ring even before March 13.

[Barrack"O]

Any fighter reagardless of race - brown, yellow, black, white of Pacquaiao's stature in the boxing world having received the insinuations, destructive propaganda, and accusations of use of PED's and or HGH would have done the same thing. These reports had vastly damaged his credibility and accomplishments. He had passed to all drug screening tests required by the governing body. It is indeed a shame that the NSAC have not stepped up more immediate on their position. Nevertheless, Mayweather antics and posturing have never been seen in the history of boxing discrediting the NSAC. Blood test taken just after the fight where Pacquio volunteered to be done would be more revealing. If the random blood test is taken three days before the fight which Mayweather insists, any athlete could still slurp as much PED or the likes and would be missed by the lab test. So much for accusations. I knew all along it would take the patience of a saint to deal with Mayweather. Due to financial needs and gains, he could not afford to pass up on this one more tha Pacquiao. It is a sound decision for Pacquiao not to stoop to the level of his accusers who have very strongly opposed such a drug test on their own fighter that they now want to impose on Pacquiao. Moreover, the Mayweathers have a history on use of illegal substances. Why should boxing be controlled by such groups with questionable integrity?

[Floyd Jr]

Your Honorable Judge,

you cannot continue this proceedings until you submit to a USADA Olympic-style drug testing.

[Steve]

Maybe Manny should think about suing everybody that thinks he's a doper!

...Tell me something, what kind of man (Let alone so called "World Champion in 7 weight divisions") - runs to his lawyer when people hurt his feelings.

I could understand if this took place in the business world where you can't physically retaliate, but people would've paid him to watch him punch Floyd Mayweather in the face!

I would've thought he'd be happy to take the test, have it revealed that he is clean, and go KO Floyd (Now that would be vindication and satisfaction for Manny and for all).

Yet he still prefers running to his lawyers.

Manny, I used to be behind you...but doper or not, you're acting like a sissy!

[icebok]

If he has nothing to hide, what's the big deal? A true champion would let them test him and get over it in my opinion.. If he is clean, he will be vindicated, no? Unless he has something to hide..... in my humble opinion. If it were me, I could only dream, I wold want to prove them all wrong and then humiliate them in the ring.

[Mark]

Where there is smoke there is fire. If Pacquiao was clean he would take the tests. It's simple, he knows he can't win the fight without doping and he's using the stuff that can't be caught through urine testing. That's why he won't do the random testing, he wants to know the dates so that he can cycle his steroids or whatever illegal performance enhancer he is using.

[Dave G]

Is boxing even relevent anymore? After years of being a boxing fan I no longer watch, follow, or care about the sport. I got tired of the corruption, the rigging, the poor matches, and the lack of talent. I am now a serious MMA fan and spend my money, time and energy watching and following this newish sport. I expect that, like me, many other boxing fans will soon find the MMA and turn away from boxing altogether.