By Rick Reeno
A source close to the situation has advised BoxingScene.com that promoters Bob Arum of Top Rank and Lou DiBella of DiBella Ent. have actually discussed the possibility of Paulie Malignaggi replacing Floyd Mayweather Jr. as the opponent for Manny Pacquiao on March 13. I've heard the two sides briefly spoke about the possible fight, and plan to continue their discussion after the holidays.
Arum announced to multiple media outlets on Thursday that Mayweather-Pacquiao was a dead issue. The trouble began on Tuesday when Golden Boy Promotions issued a release, disclosing Pacquiao's unwillingness to agree to the random Olympic-style drug testing methods of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.
The irony of the situation. Malignaggi has been very outspoken when it came to his suspicions about the possibility that Pacquiao was using performance enhancing drugs. Malignaggi is one possible opponent. WBA junior middleweight champion Yuri Foreman, promoted by Top Rank, could be another option.
