Last night (October 23), HBO’s premiere episode of 24/7: Pacquiao-Margarito shed further light on how blood testing was again the deciding dispute the ended the summer fight negotiations between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
The show devoted a segment to the “moral outrage” fans and media have felt about Pacquiao giving such a lucrative opportunity to Margarito, who dispite his hand wrapping scandal and no top-tier opposition since losing to Shane Mosley in January 2009, is getting a lucrative WBC title shot on pay-per-view. Pacquiao adviser Michel Koncz defended the move on fiscal grounds, stating it was the only financially viable fight after the second collapse of Mayweather negotiations.
“We’ve been criticized for giving Margarito an opportunity. I believe the best fight available from a financial standpoint is Margarito,” Koncz explained. “Manny has said to me personally too, ‘If he cheated, he cheated. He served his time and he was punished.’ The commission gave him a suspension, [and]he complied with the suspension.”
Koncz revealed that Pacquiao was willing to allow random, Olympic style-drug testing up to a week before the fight. Mayweather’s side, who’s 14 day cutoff period was rejected by Pacquiao earlier this year, had said following his Shane Mosley win that there would be no further compromise.
In May, Mayweather stated in order for the fight to come off, Pacquiao’s side would have to agree to the blood testing through fight night. Pacquiao’s side, going back to his last loss against Erik Morales in 2005, has had a notable aversion to having his blood drawn, believing it weakens him.
“We pretty much agreed to everything with the drug testing, just not within seven days,” Koncz stated.
When asked if his career would be incomplete without the Mayweather superfight, Manny Pacquiao argued that his legacy is already secure with or without Mayweather.
“I’m not disappointed, I’m okay,” Pacquiao explained. “If the fight happens, if not, that’s fine because of my achievements in boxing compared to him.”
The next episode of 24/7: Pacquiao-Margarito airs next Saturday (October 30) at 10:30 PM.
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