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HOly ****!!! The *******s have invaded Boxing History.....the most disgraceful fans i have ever seen -
Fight Lover's Forum 12.26.09: Mayweather is Killing the FightOriginally posted by The Stone Roses View Post
Posted by A. Shakoor on 12.26.2009
Floyd "Money" Mayweather has killed the potential showdown with Manny Pacquiao in manipulative, repugnant, brilliant fashion. He's a dick.
I can't believe this ****. Things were going so smoothly-maybe too smoothly. One of the biggest fights in boxing history was all set and ready to go for March 13th. Now it's off. Not over weight, not over money or venue, but over a completely BS, manufactured crisis.
Neither one of these fighters have ever been linked to any performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). The only reason it's even an issue is because the Mayweather family—with a little help from Paulie Malignaggi—have raised suspicions that Manny is doping. This is pure and simple 100% haterism. There isn't as much as an "unnamed source" linking Manny to any cheating tactics. The issue is pulled out of the air because certain people are jealous, and too spiteful to give a remarkable athlete his proper credit.
I don't believe that this is a bunch of purposeful hullabaloo to hype the fight. You don't hype a fight this way. As soon as PEDs are brought up, it just uglies everything up. Accusing an athlete of taking them is one of the most serious and tainting of allegations. If the fight happens, the specter of PEDs is still in the air, and just gets people talking about things unrelated to the once in a lifetime showdown of talents. You don't eff around with an issue like PEDs. You don't "hype" a fight by stinking up the joint with such an inflammatory topic. And the scarlet letter resides squarely on Manny Pacquiao at this point. How do you think it looks when the ESPN scroll reads: "Fight is off, because Pacquiao refuses Mayweather's drug testing demands"? It's a damn shame.
Manny has recently stated that he's going to sue for defamation. He should. There will always be whispers about Manny being a performance-enhancement doper. Floyd is wickedly, cowardly, brilliant. He gets to avoid the fight, keep his perfect record, and claim that Manny refuses to fight HIM, because the champ has something to hide. Let's take a look at how this little prick has shaded the tone of the whole issue to his advantage.
THE CASE FOR FLOYD
Floyd isn't asking Manny to do anything that he isn't willing to do himself. After agreeing to a 50/50 split and making the fight almost happen in amazingly smooth fashion, he is now simply asking for a "level playing field". By asking for Olympic-style testing to be done randomly by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), Floyd is requesting the most stringent testing possible, so that the fans are convinced that both fighters are clean.
First, there were reports that Manny didn't want to have his blood drawn at all, and would only submit to the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) requirements. These tests typically only require a urine sample, and are supposed to catch any banned substances. Next, there were reports that Manny would submit to blood tests but only three: once in January when the fight was announced, once exactly 30 days before the fight, and one last test immediately after the fight in the dressing room. Floyd's camp rejects this offer, because he thinks that the random nature of the USADA tests are most appropriate to prevent cheating.
Floyd has Golden Boy behind him as his promoter, and they are tossing "bombs" toward Manny, inferring questions about what he has to hide. Golden Boy is founded by Oscar De La Hoya who fought a PED user in Shane Mosley, and lost. That fight didn't have USADA testing, and Shane passed all of the pre-fight and post-fight tests. The cheating wasn't revealed until years later as part of the massive case against Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative (BALCO). Again, Floyd isn't asking Manny to do anything that he isn't more than willing to do himself.
See how Floyd has taken a non-existent issue, and made a brilliant case for why he largely gets "scoreboard" in the Court of Public Opinion? Manny still has his supporters on this issue—including me—but it's not as clean of an argument.
THE CASE FOR MANNY
He's the WBO Welterweight Champion of the World, and number one ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the world. His place in history is secure, and he's arguable the greatest boxer of all-time, and easily, at worst, in the top-ten. He's beaten half-dozen Hall of Fame fighters, and won 7 titles in 7 divisions.
Not once, in the course of all of these accomplishments has there been one iota of evidence that Manny has dabbled in banned substances. He's not linked to a dirty doctor, he's not tied to a dirty trainer or stable of fighters, and he's never had a fishy test result. Nothing looks unnatural about his appearance.
Who the **** is Floyd "Money" Mayweather to make demands about specialized drug testing? Why should this fight be treated differently from any other bout, under the rules of the state that will sanction it? By making this an issue, the Mayweathers have forever tainted Manny's name, and dropped some piss on his legacy.
Just to make this fight happen, and make a great deal of money, while putting on one of his legendary shows for the boxing public, Manny made some concessions. Manny offered up to $10 million to Floyd, if Manny ever tested positive for PEDs at any point. The Mayweather camp amazingly rejected this offer. Manny also offered to submit to three blood tests: once in January when the fight was announced, once exactly 30 days before the fight, and one last test immediately after the fight in the dressing room. How in the hell would Manny be able to take any banned substances during this time without the tests picking it up? HOW?!?!?!?
Manny doesn't need Floyd. His legacy is clearly established. Of course the money would be great, but Manny has made 10's of millions of dollars. Manny is also smart enough with his money to avoid having to request a loan from his promoters to pay off tax debts. Manny has a future in politics, music, and film. Floyd has the hope that the WWE requests his services again. Manny has fight options like Paulie Malignaggi(ironically enough), a classic rubber-match with Juan Manuel Marquez (ideal), or a chance at 8 for 8 in the 154 pound weight class against Yuri Foreman(historic). Floyd may get a chance to fight… giggle…Ricky Hatton's little brother Matthew in England. (cue Christian Bale- "Oh good for youuuu!")
Manny doesn't want his training interrupted with an unspecified amount of blood draws. Manny certainly doesn't want to give blood on the eve of the fight, because it will psychologically bother his sense of strength and endurance. So what? He'll give blood right after the fight.
Manny has done nothing untoward, has consistently exuded fairness and professionalism, and is willing to compromise this stupid issue despite the calculated, malicious, smear campaign directed against him. Floyd is a dick; a brilliant, cowardly, dick, who is going to retire with his 0 in tack, and he will forever spin the lack of the classic showdown as Manny's fault.
By the time this column is published, I have no idea what new development will impact this drama. Maybe the fight will be back on. Maybe the fight will be irreconcilably damaged, over, kaput. I just know that as soon as the PEDs crap was disgustingly brought into the game, it really took the stride off of this potential classic. It put a cap in it, has it limping, and has likely killed it. Nice shot, Floyd. Dick.
http://www.411mania.com/boxing/columns/125356Comment
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