"Who's Keith Thurman?"

[travestyny]

Boom, there ya go, as Ari Gold would say. So all I'm saying is Manny wasn't the only one being unreasonable here. So Manny agreed to testing, they just couldn't agree on conditions of testing. And I believe there were also disagreements on what each fighter would be paid. It ended up being a huge clusterf*** with both fighters at fault because of their egos, delaying it way longer than it needed to be. Maybe we can just agree on that then. It seems like in these negotiations one side never wants to completely give in so as not to appear weak or to "lose face", so to speak, even if it's something both people want, which in this case is a huge money making fight.

Well the first negotiation was for a 50/50 split. Pacquaio should have jumped on that. In the end, he got 40/60 and 0 day cut-off (I think tested about 11 days before the fight) as opposed to 50/50 and 15 day cut-off.

It seems clear to me what happened here. Arum did not want this fight. He was making more money having Pac go through his stable. He probably wanted to make the fight wayyyyy down the line after he fattened his pockets with his cash cow as much as possible.

However, it's fair to say that both were at fault I suppose. I mean I suppose Floyd could have taken the 24 day cut-off, but it's all about being reasonable. The more of a cut-off, what is the point of even doing the testing then? I just found that Mayweather was usually the more reasonable side. He definitely was more reasonable during the first negotiation. There were times that he did try slick shlt, however, like the lump sum no PPV payment that he tried to work behind Arum's back, that Pac was too smart to fall for. I guess he thought, "It worked when De La Hoya tried to steal away Manny from Arum with a briefcase of money...worth a shot."

But for me, this was all about Arum and less about the fighters. Pac is only "guilty" by going along with Arum's plan.

And since this thread is on Keith Thurman, weren't there also talks of Floyd fighting Thurman before he decided to face Berto? Was this a case of Floyd taking a lower risk fight with it being the end of his career? Seems like it. I saw interviews after the fight online and Thurman talked about strategy both fighters used and was only respectful afterwards so props to him.

I don't remember Thurman being considered at all for a Mayweather fight. However, for a final fight, it would have certainly been better than Berto. If I recall, Amir Khan was also calling for the fight. Mayweather already said it would be Berto or...I can't remember the other dude...I think Karim Mayfield or something like that...which made even reporters laugh at the suggestion. No one expected his final fight to be an "easy" touch, but that's the way he chose to put a cap on his career. So be it. I guess he thought Berto would be exciting and fans would enjoy a barn burner....but this fight was forgettable for me.

[QueensburyRules]

Well just to make one slight adjustment to what you've posted, it wasn't so much to do with drug testing as it was to do with the cut-off date for drug testing.

Pacquiao never refused drug testing. He wanted a 30 day cut-off. Floyd then agreed to a 15 day cut-off, and Pacquiao (after news broke that he was tested 24 days before Hatton) wouldn't go lower than 24 days.

I think a 15 day cut-off was obviously more than reasonable.

- -U think , therefore U SmartyPanties Lollapalooza now is it?

[them_apples]

This is the fighter who Floyd and his fans insisted was ducking him for five years. As if we are supposed to believe a guy who walks into fire, takes on tough rematches and is typically the smaller guy in the ring with harder punchers than Floyd is going to be the one ducking. As if he would want to squander his prime years.

This is why he is adored by so many fans around the world. His warrior spirit and fearlessness.

Pacquiao as a person definitely didnt duck Floyd lol, anyone who actually followed his career knows this - Pacquiao was always fearless.

[them_apples]

Talks were happening in 2009, check the date:

Manny Pacquiao's blood test refusal puts Floyd Mayweather Jr fight at risk


Before you condescend to correct anyone maybe actually know what you're talking about?

you never saw the contract thats just what they say on the news. not only did Floyd randomly pull this type of testing out of his ass, he probably threw every single stipulation in the contract to guarantee him the A side and belittle Pacquiao, who was a cash cow at the time himself.

If he said Pacquiao has to not eat for 3 months before they fight, and if he didnt agree to it does that mean hes ducking him? Floyd is a business man and the risk wasnt worth it considering he was making 70 million fighting guys like Guerrero. I don't blame him as a person but when it comes to discussing who avoided who theres no question in my mind.

Theres also the fact that Floyd and Arum hate eachother lol

[GhostofDempsey]

Pacquiao as a person definitely didnt duck Floyd lol, anyone who actually followed his career knows this - Pacquiao was always fearless.

Floyd himself insisted he deserved credit for being "smart" because he marinated the fight for five years and made it much more lucrative. That right there is a testament to who ducked who. Not to mention if you look at Manny's history and resume you'll notice he never avoided tough fights. Even when he lost he sought out rematches. Even when Marquez knocked him cold he got up and said lets do it again. That is not the actions of a man who would duck Floyd of all people.

[travestyny]

you never saw the contract thats just what they say on the news. not only did Floyd randomly pull this type of testing out of his ass, he probably threw every single stipulation in the contract to guarantee him the A side and belittle Pacquiao, who was a cash cow at the time himself.

If he said Pacquiao has to not eat for 3 months before they fight, and if he didnt agree to it does that mean hes ducking him? Floyd is a business man and the risk wasnt worth it considering he was making 70 million fighting guys like Guerrero. I don't blame him as a person but when it comes to discussing who avoided who theres no question in my mind.

Theres also the fact that Floyd and Arum hate eachother lol

Kevin Iole saw the contract.

A contract sent on Dec. 11, 2009, by Golden Boy Promotions on behalf of Mayweather to Top Rank on behalf of Pacquiao proposed a 50-50 financial split between the sides for a fight that would have been held March 13, 2010.


The eight-page agreement is so detailed that it indicates which of the two fighters would step onto the scale first at the weigh-in (Pacquiao), who would walk to the ring first (Pacquiao), who would be introduced first (Mayweather) and who had first choice of the locker room (Mayweather).

There was a 50/50 split. If I remember correctly, Pacquiao also wanted extra money if Floyd came in overweight, which Floyd agreed to.

Bob Arum himself said that everything in the contract was agreed to.

The ONLY issue was Pacquiao wanted a 30 day cut-off for drug testing. Mayweather compromised and agreed to a 15 day cut-off, and Pacquiao agreed to a 24 day cut-off (only after he got busted giving blood 24 days before the Hatton fight).

Let me ask you. Is a 15 day cut-off for drug testing unreasonable?

[travestyny]

Floyd himself insisted he deserved credit for being "smart" because he marinated the fight for five years and made it much more lucrative. That right there is a testament to who ducked who.

He didn't have much of a choice, did he? Remember when he damn near begged Pacquiao to take the fight before he was set to go to prison?

What was Pacquiao's camp's response?

Manny Pacquiao�s promoter said Monday that the Filipino superstar prefers a fourth fight against Juan Manuel Marquez to a super-fight against Floyd Mayweather Jr.

�That fight [Mayweather] can still be there for us in November [2012],?Bob Arum told The Times.

That position brought a strong reaction from rival promoter and former fighter Oscar De La Hoya, who helps promote Mayweather and said the 42-0 welterweight champion has already reserved May 5 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for boxing�s dream fight.

�I say to Manny, fighter to fighter, �Step it up, tell Arum what you want,??De La Hoya said. �You�re the fighter. You�re a congressman. You call the shots here and decide who you�re going to fight.?/b>

Yep. That he prefers Marquez to Mayweather. We all know how that ended and why there was no choice but to "marinate" it even further.

[ShoulderRoll]

Pacquiao as a person definitely didnt duck Floyd lol, anyone who actually followed his career knows this - Pacquiao was always fearless.

He definitely ducked stricter drug tests.

[QueensburyRules]

He definitely ducked stricter drug tests.

- -He being including TBE TUE.

Never Olympic drug testing like TBE TUE and the ignorant media were reporting. His promotional stable is full of drug cheats.

He comes from a family of crack and or woman beater felons and a fellow felon.

[Anthony342]

you never saw the contract thats just what they say on the news. not only did Floyd randomly pull this type of testing out of his ass, he probably threw every single stipulation in the contract to guarantee him the A side and belittle Pacquiao, who was a cash cow at the time himself.

If he said Pacquiao has to not eat for 3 months before they fight, and if he didnt agree to it does that mean hes ducking him? Floyd is a business man and the risk wasnt worth it considering he was making 70 million fighting guys like Guerrero. I don't blame him as a person but when it comes to discussing who avoided who theres no question in my mind.

Theres also the fact that Floyd and Arum hate eachother lol

Finally someone else says it besides me. And if Manny agreed to all terms, what's to say Floyd doesn't come back with another obstacle to making the fight happen sooner? These were some heel tactics right out of pro wrestling.