By Edward Chaykovsky
Regardless of the money, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is not going to back away from his demand that Manny Pacquiao accepts a contract clause where both boxers submit to random, Olympic-style blood tests for performance-enhancing drugs. A Mayweather-Pacquiao fight has been sitting on the shelf for at least two years as both boxers are unable to agree on the exact details pertaining to the drug testing portion of the bout agreement.
"I don't care how much money is negotiated. This [performance-enhancing drug testing] is what I want. Look at how these guys end up punch-drunk in this sport. I'm sorry, but all of a sudden a guy [Pacquiao] at age 25 becomes a great fighter? I want to be on a level playing field with this guy. We're fighting at the highest level, talking about the biggest fight ever. You should have the greatest testing too," Mayweather said to the Los Angeles Times.
Mayweather says that he doesn't need Pacquiao to make a lot of money in boxing.
"Anytime I lace them up now, just know it's over $50 million. So it's not about the money. I can get the money in any fight I take," Mayweather said. "It's about me being able to say, 'This is what I want.'"
Mayweather returns on September 17th against Victor Ortiz, while Pacquiao's next fight takes place on September 12 against Juan Manuel Marquez.