By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao’s conditioning expert Alex Ariza has blasted trainer Floyd Mayweather Sr and former welterweight champion Kermit Cintron who once again raised the claim that the boxing hero was using steroids, saying “ I don’t know whether I would listen to anything from anybody who never graduated from high school.”
In a telephone conversation from Las Vegas where Pacquiao is tapering off for his “Fire Power” showdown with WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand on Sunday, Manila Time, Ariza said “they don’t know the difference between supplements and steroids. Ask them whether they know how to distinguish between the two.”
Ariza said “everybody knows that Cintron got a gift against Sergio Gabriel Martinez of Argentina” when the fight was declared a twelve round majority draw earlier this year. Ariza said Cintron “got hit so hard he thought he got a head-butt while Mayweather has problems formulating a sentence. Misery loves company.”
He disclosed that Pacquiao weighed in at 145 pounds after a light workout at the IBA gym and we are where we want to be and everything is going perfect.”
Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer informed us that the Commission will test Pacquiao and Cotto for steroids and any performance-enhancing or prohibited drugs.
Kizer, a respected lawyer who serves as NSAC legal counsel before being named executive director said the tests on Pacquiao and Cotto would follow the usual routine of being done before and after their “Fire Power” showdown at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday.
Kizer reiterated his previous statement to both Viva Sports and ABS-CBN that Pacquiao had been tested prior to and after all his previous fights and was negative for any steroids or illegal substances.
At the same time Kizer informed BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that he had “just got the purse amounts” for the two boxers. He said that based on the bout contract filed with the NSAC, Pacquiao’s purse would be $7.5 million while Cotto’s purse would be $4 million.
However, we have learned that several million dollars would be earned by both fighters from an expected pay-per-view bonanza and other ancillary rights.
Pacquiao himself is known to receive over $1 million from Solar Sports for the Philippine TV and pay-per-view and other ancillary rights.
Solar Sports will telecast the fight on GMA 7 and also at the 18,000 seat Araneta Coliseum, home of the famed “Thrilla in Manila” on October 1, 1975 and the country’s Mecca of sports and entertainment.
Four giant screens have been set up on all four sides of the big dome where fans can get a clear view of the exciting action “live” from Las Vegas with no commercial interruptions. The fight card will also be telecast in several stadiums, theaters, restaurants, bars and other venues across the nation.
