SANTA MONICA, California-THE potential for a Manny Pacquiao versus Floyd Mayweather Jr. super fight on March 13 remains unknown after nine hours of arbitration failed to provide a resolution amicable to both camps.
Attending the high profile meeting yesterday (Jan. 5) in Santa Monica were Bob Arum and Todd duBoef of Pacquiao’s promoter Top Rank, while Mayweather’s side was represented by Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions as well as the fighter’s manager, Al Haymon.
Daniel Weinstein, who is a retired United States federal judge, served as the mediator in the matter and heard arguments from both sides without pre-conditions at his office. Weinstein previously served as a mediator between the two boxing promotion giants in 2007 to great success after Pacquiao had seemingly signed with both companies.
The current dispute over the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight, which is being touted by both promotion companies as one of the greatest fights in the history of the sport, mainly revolves around drug testing of both urine and blood in the months or days leading up to the bout.
Original demands put forth by Golden Boy were such that a random testing would happen leading up to the fight and blood would be drawn on the night of the fight, but Pacquiao and Top Rank refused these demands, saying that their fighter would not have any blood taken in the 30 days leading up to the fight.
Pacquiao later filed a lawsuit against Mayweather, claiming that the stringent drug testing was an assault on his character as a decorated professional boxer.
When an agreement could not be reached between the sides, it was decided that Weinstein would step in and hopefully find terms that both of the fighters’ camps could agree to.
Prior to the arbitration process beginning, Weinstein said he was optimistic that a resolution could be reached and that both sides were “negotiating in good faith”.
Specific details regarding yesterday’s discussions have been scare due to a gag order put in place by the retired judge, but initial reports indicate that both sides are still committed to continuing talks.
The welterweight super fight, if held, is predicted to be the highest earning bout in the history of the sport in terms of pay-per-view purchases and both fighters would be expected to make in excess of US $40 million.
Before the arbitration process began, Arum had many words of praise for Weinstein, saying that the judge “is a big fight fan and loves the sport, and I found him last time to be a delight to deal with.
