Pacquiao: I'm not running away

Manny Pacquiao has reiterated his demand not to be blood tested within 30 days of a proposed showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jnr as rival promoters attempt to save the fight.

The Filipino was set to meet Mayweather Jnr on March 13 in Las Vegas but a dispute over the drug testing procedures is threatening to derail the long-awaited meeting between two of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world.

Mayweather Jnr wants US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) protocols, including random blood tests at any point before the fight, which was a deal breaker to Pacquiao, who said such tests too near the bout would weaken him.

"I'm still willing to fight Floyd Mayweather. I never said the fight was off or I do not want to fight him," Pacquiao said in a blog posting on his official website.

"I'll fight anyone at any time and my record and past fights prove that. I have never and will never dodge anyone."

On his unwillingness to allow himself to be blood tested close to fight day, he added: "The truth is taking blood out of my body does not seem natural to me and mentally I feel it will weaken me if blood is taken from me just days before the fight.

"That does not make sense to me, why anyone would do that."

Mayweather Jnr's representative, Golden Boy Promotions chief executive Richard Schaefer, told ESPN that he had backed off USADA rules but would insist upon testing within 30 days of the fight as representatives of rival promoters tried to thrash out a deal.

"We know that 30 days before is not effective. At 30 days, we might as well not even do it," Schaefer said.

"It is a matter of the two sides working out the specifics of the cut off date to assure it will still be effective."

Frustrating

Schaefer called the shifting positions in talks frustrating and questioned Pacquiao's desire to face Mayweather Jnr.

"I don't know how to explain it other than maybe Pacquiao doesn't want the Mayweather fight," he added.

Pacquiao, however, made his position equally clear in his posting.

"If Floyd Mayweather Jnr truly ever wanted to fight me and he is not really scared, he would accept these terms I am willing to give him as they are above and beyond what the (Nevada) commission demands," Pacquiao said.

"I hope Floyd is not really a coward and will fight me and give the fans what they want to see. I am not afraid to fight Floyd anywhere any time."

Source: skysports.com