Mayweather Laughably Implies Pacquiao Is Doping

The press releases we get are usually worthless, but sometimes they are news in themselves. Like this one we just got, in which Floyd Mayweather's camp not-so-subtly accuses Pac-Man of ingesting something stronger than power pellets.

First rule of a press release: grab you with the headline. Golden Boy promotions is all over this:

MAYWEATHER VS PACQUIAO IN JEOPARDY AS PACQUIAO REFUSES TO COMPLY WITH UNITED STATES ANTI DOPING DRUG TESTING PROCEDURES

First, it implies the megafight could be off. Second, "refuses to comply" makes it sound like Pacquiao is dodging a required test. Third, "United States...procedures" implies that this is some sort of national standard. None of these things are true.

Let's read on:

The mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao is now in jeopardy after Golden Boy Promotions, on behalf of Mayweather Promotions, learned today that Manny Pacquiao is refusing to comply with Olympic style drug testing as outlined and mandated by the United States Anti Doping Agency (USADA) and as requested by Mayweather's management to ensure fair play and sportsmanship by both fighters.

Early today Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, was contacted by Top Rank President Todd duBoef, who informed Schaefer that Pacquiao would not agree to have his blood taken within 30-days of the bout based on the fighter's superstition of testing so close to a fight.

Schaefer commented, "Todd told me that Pacquiao has difficulty with taking blood and doesn't want to do it so close to the fight. He, Pacquiao, would only agree to have blood drawn before the kick-off press conference and after the fight."

You get all that? Pacquiao doesn't want to have his blood taken too close to the fight, something the USADA and the Olympics require. But this isn't the Olympics, and the USADA has no jurisdiction. This is boxing, which has its own rules in place (in this case, the Nevada State Athletic Commission's). Pacquiao will be tested during the run-up to the fight, and immediately after it — like every other boxer ever.

Said Mayweather:

[I]n a fight of this magnitude, I think it is our responsibility to subject ourselves to sportsmanship at the highest level. I have already agreed to the testing and it is a shame that he is not willing to do the same. It leaves me with great doubt as to the level of fairness I would be facing in the ring that night.

If Mayweather wants to submit to an extra test for no reason whatsoever, more power to him. But to point to Pacquiao playing by the rules and using that to imply he's cheating? That's just...well, it's boxing, and that's just good old fashioned psychological warfare.