Manny Pacquiao says he is planning to file a defamation lawsuit
against Floyd Mayweather Jr., the fighter's father and Golden Boy
Promotions.
In a statement posted Friday on his Web site, Pacquiao claims
that his character has been damaged and tarnished by accusations he
says are untrue.
"Enough is enough," Pacquiao said in the statement. "These
people, Mayweather Sr., Jr., and Golden Boy Promotions, think it is
a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or
other performance-enhancing drugs. I have tried to just brush it
off as a mere pre-fight ploy but I think they have gone overboard."
The proposed megafight between Pacquiao and Mayweather is in
danger because the sides have failed to find a compromise to a
dispute over blood testing. Promoter Bob Arum declared the bout
dead Thursday.
Arum had set a Thursday deadline for an agreement on testing,
the only issue not resolved for the planned March 13 fight. But
with the Mayweather camp still insisting on using the U.S.
Anti-Doping Agency to conduct the tests, Arum said there wasn't
much left to discuss.
"These people think they are doing the sport a great service.
They are not," Pacquiao added. "To Floyd, despite all these
accusations, may your Christmas be merry and I will see you in
court, soon, too."
At the core of the dispute is the insistence of the
Mayweather camp of using Olympic-style drug testing for the fight,
even though both fighters have never been linked to any
performance-enhancing substances. Under Nevada regulations, boxers
are generally only tested just before the fight and in the dressing
room afterward, and only urine is given.
"I have instructed my promoter, Bob Arum, head of Top Rank
Inc., to help me out in the filing of the case as soon as possible
because I have had people coming over to me now asking if I really
take performance-enhancing drugs and I have cheated my way into
becoming the No. 1 boxer in the world," Pacquiao said.
Mayweather's camp wants blood tests that can find things
urine tests can't, such as use of human growth hormone, and they
want them done by USADA from the time the fight is signed until the
fight is held. Pacquiao's side has agreed to both urine and blood
testing, but doesn't want testing immediately before the fight
because Pacquiao believes giving blood so soon before a fight will
weaken him.
Pacquiao's Web site states that Mayweather's camp is "asking
too many unrealistic and unprecedented items on the bargaining
table, including that of an Olympic-style drug testing."
"I maintain and assure everyone that I have not used any form
or kind of steroids and that my way to the top is a result of hard
work, hard work, hard work and a lot of blood spilled from my past
battles in the ring, not outside of it," Pacquiao's statement said.
"I have no idea what steroids look like, and my fear in God has
kept me safe and victorious through all these years.
"Now, I say to Floyd Mayweather Jr., don't be a coward, and
face me in the ring, mano-a-mano, and shut your big, pretty mouth,
so we can show the world who is the true king of the ring."
