Manny Pacquiao has agreed to put up his WBO welterweight title against Floyd Mayweather Jr. Photograph: Steve Marcus/Reuters
With crushing predictability, the fight touted as the biggest in the history of boxing, between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr, is said to be in danger of collapsing over Pacquiao's reluctance to be blood-tested for drugs.
As unlikely as this scenario is two weeks before the official confirmation of a fight expected to generate up to $200m (£125m), the row has soured what had been unusually smooth negotiations.
According to Mayweather's negotiators, Pacquiao objects to random blood tests in the month before the contest, slated for 13 March, because of his "superstitions" and a dislike of needles.
This, apparently, has not impressed Mayweather or his father, Floyd Sr, who say they have long wondered how Pacquiao has carried his phenomenal punching power up through seven weight divisions.
Pacquiao and Mayweather, who will contest the Filipino's WBO welterweight title at a venue to be confirmed (probably the MGM Grand, Las Vegas), have agreed all other terms, including a 50-50 split of a $50million purse as well as a division of pay-per-view revenues and, presumably, a weight limit of 147lbs.
Richard Schaefer, chief executive of Golden Boy Promotions, who back Mayweather, said Todd duBoef, president of Top Rank, Pacquiao's promoters, informed him: "[Pacquiao] would only agree to have blood drawn before the kick-off press conference [on 6 January] and after the fight."
Mayweather said: "I have already agreed to the testing and it is a shame that he [Pacquiao] 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."
Pacquiao has no objection to the urine sample tests imposed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Golden Boy say urine tests do not detect Human Growth Hormone, while the Olympic-standard blood tests they want do.
Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, has dismissed the allegations as mischief-making. He was unavailable for comment but said in an interview with ESPN earlier this month: "Mayweather's side wanted it because the expert over there, Mayweather Sr, says Manny is on steroids to get bigger. They're scared of Manny and scared of his power. He'll pass any test in the world." Pacquiao, the most versatile little big man in boxing since Henry Armstrong held world titles at three weights simultaneously 61 years ago, has denied repeated claims that he has used banned substances.
Pacquiao and Mayweather have had remarkably similar growth patterns. Both weighed and fought at 106lbs when 16, Mayweather as a Golden Gloves amateur star, Pacquiao as a skinny street kid in the Philippines.
Pacquiao made his pro debut at the weight in 1995 and continued his untrammelled conquering of the world's best in the lower weight divisions until moving to Los Angeles in 2001 to join Roach at his Wild Card gym, where his strong body filled out through improved nutrition and training methods.
It was not until he started to move among bigger fighters, such as Juan Manuel Márquez, in 2004 for the first time, then the following year super-feather warrior Erik Morales, with whom he had three stirring contests, that people began to comment on Pacquiao's ability to bring his power with him up through the weight classes.
His subsequent deeds against obviously bigger opponents Marco Antonio Barrera, Márquez again, David Diaz, Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton and, most recently, Miguel Cotto, have cemented his reputation.
This CV is not dissimilar to Mayweather's. He has moved effortlessly through a gilded amateur and professional career from the same weight base, winning six pro world titles at five weights, and is clearly now the bigger fighter of the two. His concerns would seem to be generated as much by negotiating nous as worry over Pacquiao's muscles, however he built them.
Wrecking Pacquiao-Mayweather, for whatever reason, would amount to the most grand commercial folly. A resolution is expected imminently.
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