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Arum Finally Gives His Side On Infamous Mayweather Blood Testing Issue Before Pacquiao Fight

Bob Arum promoted Floyd Mayweather at one time in his career and even after he ceased promoting him when Mayweather went his own way and made a fortune by going it himself – the two always have had a tenuous relationship at the best of times.

Years before the Mayweather vs Pacquiao fight was ever made in 2015 the negotiations and sticking points to getting the fight made started.

Literally – years before the fight was ever made.

So many things had to be worked out in terms of money, ego, TV networks and everything else in between.

Another story that was reported years before the fight was made however was the apparent disagreement on blood testing arrangements for the fight.

Speaking in an open Q and A session on Reddit, one fan asked him the following of Pacquiao’s promoter – Bob Arum:

In 2010, you originally turned down a 14 day cut-off for blood testing against Mayweather. You said his requests amounted to bullying and that he would keep coming up with more requests if you accepted. Why not simply accept the cut off and let him prove you right by pulling out of the fight if you were that sure? Or did you think it was unreasonable for Pac to give blood 14 days before the fight?

Follow-up question if time: You eventually agreed to a 14 day cut-off almost immediately after Floyd said the offer was now off the table (and that he would now he asking for blood testing until the day of the fight). What do you say to critics that view that as a PR move and ask why you didn’t simply agree to it in the first place if it was now fine by you?

To which Arum replied:

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“Well, that’s just not the case of what happened. You have to understand, this whole idea of drug testing was for us in boxing something new. We didn’t know how it would be conducted and USADA when we talked to them were not helpful. They said they could test anytime, even when the fighter was in the ring prior ot the fight. They spooked us, very frankly. Finally when we negotiated a cutoff, which was unnecessary but we didn’t k now what we were doing, then Mayweather decided not to go along with that. When I look back, it was not anyone’s intention to sabotage the fight. It was ignorance on all of our parts, so that later on, years passed, we became more familiar with testing and the parameters, it wasn’t an issue in negotiations leading up to the fight in 2015.”


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Niall Doran

Niall Doran is a highly experienced boxing writer, combat sports writer and professional boxing judge. He has been published and trusted on some of the world's leading boxing, mixed martial arts and media publications including to name a few: • Boxrec (professional judge profile): https://boxrec.com/en/judge/1043570 • Boxing News: https://boxingnewsonline.net/author/niall-doran/ • Boxing Scene: https://www.boxingscene.com/author/niall-doran • Liveabout.com: https://www.liveabout.com/niall-doran-423729 • Huffington Post: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/author/niall-doran • MixedMartialArts.com: https://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/will-2020-see-co-promoted-mma-and-boxing-events • SevereMMA.com: https://severemma.com/2015/09/mma-and-boxing-brothers-from-another-mother/View Author posts

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