UFC chief: Floyd blew fight vs Pacquiao

MANILA, Philippines -- Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White blamed Floyd Mayweather Jr. for ruining what might have been the biggest fight in recent boxing history with Filipino champion Manny Pacquiao.

“I think [Floyd] blew this fight,” White said in a report by 5thRound.com.

“When another fighter starts dictating a drug test, first of all, Pacquiao’s never tested positive for any drug but Floyd’s going to make him go through drug testing? That’s ridiculous,” he said.

White was referring to Mayweather’s demand to have Pacquiao undergo an Olympic-style drug test, which, in effect, sent a message that the Filipino might have been using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). The demand led to the collapse in the negotiations and the cancellation of the fight.

The UFC chief earlier had a spat with the former pound-for-pound king in 2007 when Mayweather claimed mixed martial arts fighters can’t handle boxing.

White said that like other fight fans, he wants to see the Pacquiao-Mayweather match.

“I want to see this fight. I’m dying to see this fight.”

With regards to Mayweather’s random blood-testing demand, White said Floyd should have left the matter to the athletics commission to decide.

“That’s what the commission is there for,” commented White in another report by Sherdog.com.

“The athletic commission is there for the safety of the fighters. They drug test, they blood test, they do all those other things. For another fighter to be calling out another fighter for some type of blood work is [expletive] crazy. Just [expletive] train for the fight and fight; that’s what everybody wants to see,” he said.

The Pacquiao-Mayweather fight was supposed to take place on March 13. But since it was called off, the Pacquiao camp decided to take on Ghanaian Joshua Clottey on the same fight date.

Mayweather is also reportedly looking for an alternate opponent to compete with the Pacquiao-Clottey bout in Texas.



Moorer speaks out for Pacquiao
Former world heavyweight champion Michael Moorer, who worked with Pacquiao and Freddie Roach for the Ricky Hatton fight, defended the Filipino from allegations he’s been using PEDs.

“Manny Pacquiao has that work ethic that a lot of boxers don't have these days and a lot of people are jealous and a lot of people are trying to make something out of it because they don't know what hard work and dedication is,” the former boxer said in a report by FightHype.com.

Moorer added that Pacquiao has the best chance of finally breaking Mayweather's unbeaten record. Mayweather hasn't lost in 40 fights.

“I haven't been in camp with Floyd Mayweather, but I feel that Manny Pacquiao would give Floyd Mayweather that one loss,” he said.

Pacquiao, the current World Boxing Organization welterweight champ, has 3 losses against 50 wins. But despite the losses, the Filipino is heralded as today’s top pound-for-pound boxer because of his exciting style of fighting.

Source: abs-cbnnews.com