by Michael Marley

According to Top Rank's CEO Bob Arum, there are no remaining issues to prevent a possible mega-fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. - provided Mayweather defeats WBC champion Victor Ortiz on September 17 and Pacquiao beats Marquez on November 12.

Arum said - "there are no issues."

I was momentarily stunned by that assertion but picked up my gumshield and moved forward.

"No issues, Bob, what about the drug testing?" I said.

"You tell me me what are the issues," Arum said.

"Drug testing and who handles it," I said weakly.

"There are no issues on that," Arum said. "We accepted the drug testing. That is not a real issue of any kind."

Hey, wait a minute big fella, what about the WADA/USADA dustups?

"It is a non-issue, I am telling you," Arum said. "Because USADA can only handle drug testing in the United States. The USADA can't go there [to the Philippines] - and that's where Manny will do the first part of his training [camp] - and that is that."

Arum explained that testing for this portion of Pacman's training camp would be done by a Filipino lab working under the approval of and procedures of WADA.

Although Arum was not explicit on testing of Pacquiao while he's in America, presumably USADA would be involved with the Nevada State Athletic Commission also having a role.

OK, Bob, then what about the money split, isn't that contentious enough to forestall the so called dream fight?

"There are no issues on that," Arum said. "The split is 50-50 on everything."