Mayweather-Mosley test dates revealed

The United States Anti-Doping Agency confirmed Friday that the final blood sample taken from Shane Mosley was April 12 and the final one taken from Floyd Mayweather was April 13 as part of their agreement to undergo random, Olympic-style testing prior to their May 1 welterweight boxing match in Las Vegas.

Mayweather won the fight by a wide unanimous decision. Each man was tested seven times prior to the fight and then again on the night of the fight by USADA, which will retain their samples for future testing. Each of the eight tests included required the fighters to provide urine samples; they were required to give blood four times.

Mayweather gave blood and urine on March 22, April 1, April 13 and then May 1 after the fight. He gave urine only on April 3, April 6, April 21 and April 24.

Mosley gave blood and urine on March 23, March 31, April 12 and then May 1 after the fight. He gave urine only on March 29, April 7, April 20 and April 26.

The news of the date of the final pre-fight blood draw – 18 days before the fight, in Mayweather’s case – might give hope to fans who want to see a bout between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.

An attempt to make the fight for March 13 failed when they couldn’t come to terms over Mayweather’s demand for random testing.

In a story written Thursday by Nick Giongco in the Manila Bulletin, Pacquiao said he would agree to a test as late as 14 days prior to a Mayweather bout provided they weren’t taking large samples.

“As long as they’re not getting a large amount of blood, I am willing to give out blood as close to two weeks before the fight,” Pacquiao told Giongco.

But if you’re thinking that concession will lead to Pacquiao vs Mayweather on Nov. 13, slow down. There is a big difference between what Pacquiao told Giongco he’d agree to and what Mayweather and Mosley did, said Travis Tygart, the chief executive officer of USADA.

“That totally misses the point,” Tygart said of the reaction some may have upon hearing of Pacquiao’s concession and the timing of Mayweather’s last blood test. “If you know you aren’t going to be tested within the last 14 days, you can cheat and get away with it. It is our right to test at any time, 30 days before the fight, 20 days before, the week of, the morning of – that provides the deterrent. If you block out a period of time and say we can’t test during that period, then an athlete could cheat and get away with it.”

Tygart praised Mayweather and Mosley and said they fully embraced the program. They were, he said, “consummate professionals throughout the entire process.”

Top Rank’s Bob Arum, who promotes Pacquiao, still believes a 14-day cutoff is reasonable.

“Fourteen days should give them plenty of time to do what they need to do, especially in light of what they did with Mayweather and Mosley,” Arum said.

Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe said he doesn’t understand why a fuss would be made over the time of Mayweather’s final blood test. Ellerbe said Mayweather boxed at least 11 rounds, and as many as 14, after three of the blood draws.

“Random is random,” he said. “It could be at any time. That’s what random means. I will say this: If and when Floyd Mayweather decides to fight again, random blood and urine testing will be part of it. Period.”

Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said he heard no complaints from either fighter about the testing program, terming it an unqualified success. Schaefer said he hoped that boxing promoters and other stakeholders could get together and adopt a plan under which similar testing would become a regular part of the sport.

“I’m not a drug-testing expert and I’ve never put together a testing program protocol, but where there is a will, there is a way,” Schaefer said. “Our interest as promoters should be to have a clean sport. At the end of the day, this is protecting our fighters and doing something positive for the sport.

Source: yahoo.com