Over the past two years, there's been a lot of uncertainty amongst fans and media alike regarding the events surrounding the negotiations for the mega-fight between pound-for-pound champions Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. In an effort to clear up the confusion, FightHype.com has put together an in-depth timeline detailing every major milestone that took place. From the moment that Floyd Mayweather came out of retirement to the minute that Manny Pacquiao's promoter Bob Arum declared the fight to be off, all of the major events that dominated the headlines are included. Only the facts are included in this definitive timeline. Links to mulitple outside references have been included for each date, so fans can draw their own conclusions as to what went wrong at each step of the way.
Part 1 begins just a few months prior to Floyd Mayweather's return from retirement as fans and media were already buzzing about the idea of both men eventually facing each other. Although negotiations wouldn't officially begin until after Manny Pacquiao defeated Miguel Cotto on November 14, 2009, both sides were already stating their case to the media in the months leading up to that. Take a look back at the events that transpired which prompted Bob Arum to declare that the fight was off.
DECEMBER 26, 2009
- Team Mayweather willing to work towards a cut-off date, but Arum reveals offer to take any additional blood tests is off the table.
In response to Bob Arum declaring that the fight was off, Team Mayweather revealed that they were willing to work towards a cut-off date so long as random blood tests are still conducted leading up to that date. "What we're saying, and what is important to us, is four things: that the tests be random, that they include blood and urine and the time frame, meaning when do you stop the tests before the fight but know they will still be effective. Three of them we have agreed on: random, blood and urine. So now it is a matter of the two sides working out the specifics of the cutoff date to assure it will still be effective USADA is the most recognized one, but if it's another one, like the Nevada commission, we don't really care. I don't care who performs the tests as long as they are performed. That's our position. If this fight doesn't happen it's not because of Team Mayweather," Richard Schaefer commented, also explaining that they had no problem with the Nevada State Athletic Commission handling the testing, just so long as the random blood tests were indeed conducted. Arum, however, still angered by the request, revealed that Team Pacquiao's offer to take 3 blood tests was off the table and the only testing they would agree to was the standard testing performed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which has no protocols for random blood testing and typically only conducts one urine test right before and right after the fight. "If they go to the commission and they ask for blood tests and the commission says yes, we will do whatever the commission says. The commission says blood testing, we'll do blood testing Let the commission tell us how many days in front they want blood. Let the commission pick a date to stop taking blood. We trust the commission. Blood testing, we think, is unnecessary, but fine, we'll do it. But let the commission set the parameters," Arum explained.
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content6571.html
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=4772853
- Arum stands firm on Team Pacquiao's demands and issues second deadline.
Despite reports from Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer that Top Rank president Todd DuBoef and Golden Boy executive Bruce Binkow were negotiating a final cut-off date for random blood testing, Arum insisted that Schaefer was "making it up" and reiterated that Pacquiao would now only be taking one blood test in JANUARY in order to renew his license, a requirement for all boxers by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, as well as one test after the fight. "Manny will do a blood test, as required, to get his new boxing license in JANUARY per the Nevada commission. Manny will also do another blood test after the fight. End of story," Arum stated before issuing another take-it-or-leave-it deadline.
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content6572.html
http://www.examiner.com/boxing-in-national/Arum-Mayweather-wants-to-keep-Pacquiao-blood-eight-years
- Pacquiao releases statement explaining his position on blood testing.
"These are my specifications for this fight regarding blood testing. I have offered to give a blood sample the day of the announcement of the fight at the (press conference). I have offered to give a blood sample 30 days before the fight. I am willing to give blood immediately after the fight is over inside my dressing room. I am also willing to give urine tests at anytime, anywhere, every day leading up to the fight," Pacquiao explained in a prepared statement, outlining his original offer to take 3 non-random blood tests. "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 If Floyd Mayweather Jr. does not accept these terms [then] my promoter will find me another fight for March the 13," he added.
http://espn.go.com/sports/boxing/blog/_/name/rafael_dan/id/4774298
- Team Mayweather stands firm on their request for random blood testing.
Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe reiterates their position. "Random is random. The whole purpose of doing something random is for surprise. We're not backing off," he explained as Team Mayweather remained firm on their stance for random blood testing in the weeks leading up to a showdown with Pacquiao. Despite Arum's final offer of letting the blood-testing issue be handled by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Team Mayweather insisted that was not an option since they were ill-equipped to handle that type of protocol. "With all due respect to the Nevada commission, Keith Kizer has publicly gone on record and said they wouldn't be able to handle this particular issue at this particular time," said Ellerbe.
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content6583.html
http://www.mlive.com/mayweather/index.ssf/2009/12/floyd_mayweathers_adviser_stan.html
http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ro-arumdeadline122709
- Video surfaces of Pacquiao taking blood tests less than 30 days prior to a fight.
Video from an episode of HBO's "Pacquiao vs. Hatton 24/7" surfaced on the internet showing Manny Pacquiao giving blood in the weeks leading up to his May 2nd bout with Ricky Hatton. The original footage was aired a week prior to the fight, but it was unclear as to exactly when it was taped. Although Pacquiao maintained that he was only willing to do a blood test 30 days before and one day after the fight, the new development prompted both sides to continue negotiating despite Arum's take-it-or-leave-it deadline. "I will transmit it [information regarding the footage] to Manny once Ross Greenburg establishes the actual date of the test in '24/7' and [the Mayweather camp] makes a proposal based on what Ross has come up with. If that happens, I am sure I can convince Manny," said Arum. Schaefer would echo those sentiments, "I need to discuss it with Team Mayweather. We need to find out what it means if you cut off testing 14 days before the fight. I want to talk to Al Haymon and Leonard."
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content6585.html
http://www.worldstarhiphop.com/videos/video.php?v=wshh4CgT0S9mlYSTf1S1
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=4777048
http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2009/12/29/does-hbos-24-7-series-foil-pacquiaos-blood-testing-assertion/
- Golden Boy press release blames Pacquiao and Arum for walking away from fight.
On the same day that the video was discovered, Golden Boy Promotions sent out a press release blaming both Manny Pacquiao and promoter Bob Arum for attempting to walk away from negotiations. The focus was primarily on Pacquiao's refusal to participate in random blood testing, making comments like, "The fact is that he did have blood taken just 14 days prior to his fight with Ricky Hatton, an event which was documented on HBO's 24/7 reality show Let it be very clear that nobody from Team Mayweather or Golden Boy Promotions is accusing Pacquiao of anything. But the reality seems to be that for whatever reason Pacquiao does not want to participate in random blood testing, which has already been deemed a harmless procedure that many current athletes are subjected to prior to and during competition Team Mayweather and Golden Boy Promotions is still open to the earlier discussions of having both parties work out a mutually agreeable understanding of the testing, which would be conducted by a mutually agreed upon agency."
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content6584.html
- Nevada State Athletic Commission orders both Mayweather and Pacquiao to take a random urine test.
Perhaps in a move to show their commitment to drug testing, the Nevada State Athletic Commission ordered both Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. to take an immediate "out-of-competition" urine test. "It's a start," said Executive Director Keith Kizer. "I don't know if this will help the chances of the fight happening. But with all this talk of drug tests, let's actually do one." The commission called on Pacquiao and Mayweather to submit to urine tests within 48 hours or they would face possible fines or suspension. Pacquiao complied immediately, taking the test the next day in front of cameras and reporters.
http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ro-boxtests122809
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2009/12/manny-pacquiao-floyd-mayweather-jr-nevada-boxing.html
http://www.gmanews.tv/pbr/article/180520/pacquiao-calls-floyds-bluff-takes-doping-test
- Top Rank press release sent out with statements from Pacquiao stating Team Mayweather and Golden Boy Promotions are lying.
In a move to counter Golden Boy Promotions, Top Rank quickly sent out their own press release with comments from an infuriated Manny Pacquiao. In it, Pacquiao accuses Team Mayweather and Golden Boy Promotions of lying and reiterated his willingness to abide by the normal drug testing policies of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which do not include provisions for random blood testing. "I can't believe these guys can lie without batting an eyelash and they would even make it appear that I am the culprit for the delay of the fight and saying that I don't want it to happen Liars go to hell. They should be man enough and own up to their words I want to put this on the record again, that I will abide by the NSAC requirements like in all of the fights in boxing history, including all of my fights," Pacquiao would comment in the press release.
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content6591.html
- Video footage is confirmed to have been taken 24 days prior to Pacquiao vs. Hatton.
Documents confirm that the video showing Manny Pacquiao giving blood in the weeks leading up to his May 2nd bout with Ricky Hatton was recorded on April 8th, 24 days prior to the fight and past the 30-day cut-off date that Pacquiao had insisted on.
http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=24398
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sports/12/30/09/report-pacquiao%E2%80%99s-blood-tested-24-days-prior-hatton-fight
- Pacquiao issues another official statement regarding his stance on having blood drawn.
Pacquiao issues another statement, this one independent of Top Rank, defending himself and explaining his stance on having his blood drawn while at the same time repeatedly professing his innocence and lack of knowledge regarding steroids and performance enhancing drugs. "My concern has never been with someone randomly checking me with regards to blood or urine. I volunteered immediately to have my urine tested anytime someone wanted to, all the way up to the time I am walking into the ring As I have stated before I have never used anabolic steroids nor do I even know what they look like My concern as a fighter is that there should be some limitations and agreements on how much blood they can take from someone prior to a fight. My other concern is how close to the actual fight itself can they take the blood. It is my opinion taking blood from a person can weaken you. I do not want to be in a weakened state when I enter the ring against any fighter," he would repeat.
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content6598.html
http://pacman.craveonline.com/articles/news/37822-official-statement-made-by
- Pacquiao officially files lawsuit against Team Mayweather, Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer.
Pacquiao officially filed a lawsuit in Nevada federal court against Floyd Mayweather Jr., Floyd Mayweather Sr., Roger Mayweather, Mayweather Promotions LLC, and Golden Boy Promotions executives Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer for making false and defamatory statements accusing Pacquiao of taking performance-enhancing drugs. The lawsuit claimed the Mayweathers, De La Hoya, and Schaefer knew that Pacquiao had never taken performance-enhancing drugs, knew their statements were false, but made them anyway out of "ill-will, spite, malice, revenge, and envy."
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content6600.html
- Both sides enter into mediation in an attempt to reach an agreement.
Despite the tempers of Bob Arum and Manny Pacquiao flaring, both sides agree to enter into mediation in hopes of coming to an agreement on the blood testing issue. "We're going into mediation," Bob Arum revealed. Retired federal judge Daniel Weinstein, who successfully resolved a prior dispute between Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions, would again act as mediator.
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=4794912
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2010/01/manny-pacquiao-floyd-mayweather-jr-boxing-1.html
- Arum declares the fight is off after Mayweather rejects Team Pacquiao's offer of a 24-day cut-off date.
After hours of negotiating during mediation, Arum declared that the fight was officially off after Mayweather refused to agree to a 24-day cut-off date, which Team Pacquiao had agreed to after it was discovered that he had given blood 24 days prior to his May 2nd bout with Ricky Hatton. "The proposal that the mediator put forth and recommended the Mayweather camp was very simple: They would be allowed to do the blood-testing within up to 24 days of the fight, and the tests would be supervised, pursuant to the guidines of the Nevada State Athletic Commission's jurisdiction, and that they [Mayweather's camp] would give a statement of full apology in regard to comments made about Manny and their false allegations that he had been taking performance enhancing drugs. I was informed by Arum about 30 minutes ago that that was flatly refused by the Mayweather people, and that's a rejection of the recommendation of the arbitrator, so we're not going to stay around and wait, because we have nothing to negotiatiate," said Pacquiao's advisor Michael Koncz.
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content6639.html
http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=4803490
http://boxing.fanhouse.com/2010/01/07/floyd-mayweather-manny-pacquiao-definitely-off/
http://www.mlive.com/mayweather/index.ssf/2010/01/mayweather-pacquiao_fight_call.html
- Mediator issues an order stating Team Pacquiao made false allegations regarding mediation.
Judge Daniel Weinstein issued an order to correct false statements made by Top Rank and Manny Pacquiao's representatives concerning details of events that took place during mediation. Essentially, the statement clarified that the mediator did not make a recommendation, as suggested by Pacquiao's advisor Michael Koncz, and that there were multiple proposals on the table presented by both parties, not just the 24-day cut-off date that Arum said was rejected.
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content6645.html
- Mayweather reveals a 14-day cut-off date was offered to Team Pacquiao, but they refused.
Floyd Mayweather would release his own prepared statement revealing that a 14-day cut-off date was offered to Team Pacquiao even before both sides entered into mediation, but ultimately, it was rejected. "Before the mediation, my team proposed a 14-day, no blood testing window leading up to the fight. But it was rejected. I am still proposing the 14-day window, but he is still unwilling to agree to it, even though this is obviously a fair compromise on my part as I wanted the testing to be up until the fight and he wanted a 30-day cut-off. The truth is he just doesn't want to take the tests," Mayweather explained.
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content6646.html
- Mayweather reveals a 14-day cut-off date was offered to Team Pacquiao, but they refused.
Floyd Mayweather would release his own prepared statement revealing that a 14-day cut-off date was offered to Team Pacquiao even before both sides entered into mediation, but ultimately, it was rejected. "Before the mediation, my team proposed a 14-day, no blood testing window leading up to the fight. But it was rejected. I am still proposing the 14-day window, but he is still unwilling to agree to it, even though this is obviously a fair compromise on my part as I wanted the testing to be up until the fight and he wanted a 30-day cut-off. The truth is he just doesn't want to take the tests," Mayweather explained.
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content6646.html
- Richard Schaefer, Bob Arum and Michael Koncz confirm that a 14-day cut-off date was offered, but rejected by Team Pacquiao.
Despite the fact that Team Pacquiao walked away from negotiations and were set to sign a contract to face Joshua Clottey, Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer still held out hope that a bout with Mayweather could be made, suggesting that Pacquiao himself was never made aware that Mayweather was willing to agree to a 14-day cut-off date. "There are reports [on the Internet] that Manny is not aware of this and we want to make certain that he knows what Floyd has agreed to do," Schaefer said. Evidently, on December 30, Golden Boy executive Bruce Binkow offered a 14-day cut-off via text message to Top Rank president Todd duBoef, who simply replied on the following day, "14 is no good." Pacquiao's advisor Michael Koncz confirmed that promoter Bob Arum contacted him with the offer, but Pacquiao himself turned it down. "Bob called and told us about the 14 days and I brought that to Manny and he said, 'I told you, we're not agreeing to that,' and that was pretty much it," Koncz said. Bob Arum would also confirm that notion, stating, "That offer was rejected a long time ago. It was off the table. They are just trying to get under Manny's skin."
http://sports.yahoo.com/box/news?slug=ki-pacfloydnegotiations010810
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/mma/boxing/01/08/pacquiao.clottey/index.html
- Team Mayweather declares random blood and urine tests with no cutoff dates for all future opponents.
Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe declared that random blood and urine testing will be implemented in all of Floyd Mayweather's future opponents, regardless of the opponent. "Whoever fights Floyd Mayweather in the future, that person will be subjected to random blood and urine testing. I don't care who he fights, that will be the case," said Ellerbe, who made it clear that any proposition for a cutoff date for testing was essentially off the table.
http://www.mlive.com/mayweather/index.ssf/2010/01/leonard_ellerbe_floyd_mayweath.html
- Mayweather makes it crystal clear that his terms are full random drug testing all the way up to the fight.
"I gave him a chance, up to 14 days out. But my new terms are all the way up to the fight. They can come get us whenever, all the way up to the fight, random drug test. That's what it is," Mayweather stated in an exclusive interview with David Mayo of The Grand Rapids Press.
http://www.mlive.com/mayweather/index.ssf/2010/02/floyd_mayweather_still_wonders.html
Be sure to check back soon for Part 2 of the Mayweather-Pacquiao Negotiations Timeline, where we'll take a look at the alleged "second round of negotiations" that took place between Bob Arum, Ross Greenburg, and Al Haymon without either side ever having to speak to each other.
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