Welterweight Shuffle
The boxing world had been awaiting two major welterweight contests, an intriguing experience-against-youth matchup and a superfight that would have transcended the sport. Unfortunately, for varying reasons, those fights were cancelled.
A fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. was in discussion for March 13. Originally targeted for May, the bout was pushed ahead to March when Pacquiao stated his intention to run for Congress in his native Philippines. Yet, even with the venue confirmed as the MGM Grand Garden Arena and the finances agreed upon, as both fighters were estimated to make at least a guaranteed $25M, negotiations still proved arduous.
What brought this fight down related to Mayweather’s concern that Pacquiao may be using performance enhancing drugs. To ensure fair play, he insisted that additional precautions be implemented, with random blood tests throughout training, on top of the urine analysis already required by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
Ultimately, the issue of the timing of the blood tests is what imploded this mega event. While Mayweather requested testing be done all the way up until the day before the fight, Pacquiao was adamant that he did not want any blood tests administered during the final 30 days leading up to the contest. Both sides compromised somewhat, with Mayweather suggesting a 14-day-prior-to-the-fight testing cutoff, but Pacquiao only relented to allow blood testing taken with a 24-day cutoff.
Angered by the steroid accusations, Pacquiao filed a defamation lawsuit on Dec. 30 in a Las Vegas Federal district court against Floyd Mayweather Jr., Floyd Mayweather Sr., Roger Mayweather, Mayweather Promotions LLC, and Golden Boy Promotions executives Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer, alleging they intentionally made false statements regarding Pacquiao taking PEDs. Pacquiao is seeking $75,000 in compensatory and punitive damages.
With the Mayweather fight scrapped, Pacquiao’s promoter, Top Rank, kept the date and set up a fight for “Pac-Man” against perennial contender Joshua Clottey, to be staged at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in Texas.
During this mess, the other welterweight showdown was taking shape, when WBC titlist Andre Berto was slated to step up against his toughest test in WBA champion Shane Mosley on Jan. 30. Then, suddenly, disaster struck when a 7.0 earthquake ravaged Haiti on Jan. 12. Berto, a Haitian-American, was deeply and personally affected by this tragedy, as several members of his family in Haiti were killed. Unable to properly focus on training, Berto issued a statement, “As a result of this disaster, I am mentally and physically exhausted and therefore I have no choice but to withdraw from my bout.
“I lost several family members to the earthquake and after two days without word, was relieved to learn that my sister, Naomi, and her daughter, Jessica, survived, but were left homeless,” said Berto. “I have seen the pain in my parents’ eyes as they attempt to understand what has happened to our homeland and recognize a place they once called home. The rebuilding of Haiti is not something that will happen overnight, but I am fully dedicated to helping the Haitian people recover from this catastrophic event.”
Boxing Digest extends its condolences to Berto and his family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Haitian people.
In the aftermath, the implosion of Pacquiao-Mayweather and the cancellation of Mosley-Berto paved the way for the long-awaited clash between Mayweather and Mosley to take place in Las Vegas on May 1. Just this past September, Mosley challenged Floyd in the ring following his return victory over Juan Manuel Marquez.