By Rick Reeno
A source with knowledge of the negotiations has advised BoxingScene.com that WBA welterweight champion Shane Mosley will agree to a contract clause that calls for random drug testing during the training camp period for a potential fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in May. Golden Boy Promotions is working around the clock to finalize a deal for a Mayweather-Mosley welterweight collision. After years of hype, the negotiations heated up on Monday when Andre Berto announced he was withdrawing from his fight with Mosley, scheduled for January 30 on HBO.
Mayweather's demand for random drug testing in the Manny Pacquiao negotiations was the sticking point that killed their planned showdown for March 13. Pacquiao was willing to take an unlimited amount of urine tests but had an issue with taking random blood tests within 30-days of the fight. Both sides budged a bit. They didn't budge enough to get the fight done. Mayweather presented a testing cut-off date of 14-days. Pacquiao wanted the blood tests to stop at 24-days - and he was willing to take a blood test immediately following the fight.
Pacquiao has never tested positive for any performance enhancing drug, and neither has Mosley. But during the BALCO scandal, Mosley did admit before a grand jury that he unknowingly used performance enhancing drugs while training for a 2003 rematch with Oscar De La Hoya.
This is not the first time that an opponent has requested additional testing for a fight with Mosley. In 2008, Zab Judah was being lined up for a pay-per-view headliner with Mosley. Because of the BALCO scandal, he made a demand for additional drug tests. Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer rejected Judah's request - but Mosley did not. He was willing to take the additional tests to eliminate any post-fight protests from Judah. Considering Mosley's position in the past, it's not surprising that he's willing to take additional tests for a far more lucrative opponent in Mayweather.
