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Mayweather vs Mosley
The representatives of Floyd Mayweather, Shane Mosley and their respective promoters announced on Thursday that the fighters agreed to utilize U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) drug testing for the pair's scheduled May 1 bout in Las Vegas.
The USADA testing entails no limit on the number and type of tests given to the athletes. It also adheres to a no-notice sample collection of blood and urine both prior to and after a contest.
"It will be great for the sport of boxing", said Leonard Ellerbee, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions said, "I commend both of these fighters for setting a new precedent of the sport".
Richard Schaefer also said in part, "...it is never too late to take a stand on an issue that is prevalent in all sports today and ask for something that can only have positive results on the future of boxing"
Floyd has seemingly solidified his position on all future fights. Could he change his mind? Of course it's possible but when the boxers' camps initiated the contact with the USADA it would be hard to squirm out of it all.
Tyrus T, Tygart the USADA CEO told media on the call that, "...we are proud to be part of this effort to help further advance the rights of clean athletes to participate in a safe, level and drug-free arena"
He went on to make it clear that there was no pressure on the fighters to join this movement. "For the first time, we're seeing professional athletes in the sport of boxing approach us to implement our program..."
Does the term "clean athletes" indicate a negative view of the Mayweather camp about Manny Pacquiao? As the joke goes, does the Pope wear a funny looking hat?
Schaefer's use of the words, "it's never too late to take a stand" can only mean that the gauntlet has been thrown down by Mayweather to Freddie Roach, his fighter and all those within the Pacquiao camp who resisted blood testing any closer to a fight than 24 days.
Does this endanger a Pacquiao vs. Mayweather fight in the long run? Here's hoping that is not true.
For more on the subject and I'm sure an insider's view of the chances this clogs up the works for a Pac-Floyd fight, click over to Michael Marley, our Boxing Examiner.
Source: Examiner.com
