I believe that there may be a compromise coming that will finalize the highly-anticipated megafight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. Like it or not, the Nevada State Athletic Commission's credibility has been tarnished. Although they do recognize the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) list of prohibited substances, they do not conduct blood testing, which is the only way to detect HGH and EPO according to WADA. If that's the case, then why does NSAC even recognize or embrace WADA's list to begin with?
It is for that very reason that NSAC has come under fire regarding Team Mayweather's request for random blood testing. Although they supposedly prohibit HGH and EPO, they really have no process or testing procedures in place to detect abusers of those particular performance-enhancing drugs. This is administrative incompetence at the highest level. They sat on that knowledge for many, many years and were not proactive. Due to that reason, and the recent revelation out of New York that heavyweight boxer Shannon Briggs tested positive for a banned substance, there's a lot of pressure that should persuade NSAC to step up their policies and provide the compromise that's needed. After all, Keith Kizer once said, "I think (combat-sports participants) should be held to an even higher standard than athletes like Olympic sprinters. It should be a really high standard."
The Nevada State Athletic Commission will probably test Pacquiao's blood. Why? Because not only are they already on record stating that they follow WADA's list of prohibited substance, which include HGH and EPO, but they also currently already reserve the right to draw blood. To answer the critics who don't believe that they can do what I'm suggesting, consider the fact that they took additional blood tests 2 days prior to Pacquiao's first fight with Morales because, according to Pacquiao himself, they claimed to have lost the previous tests 30 days out. I mention this only to substantiate the fact that they can take the tests anytime they want to and in fact have, in at least this one instance.
The compromise is simple and feasible, as even Bob Arum is on record stating that Team Pacquiao will take whatever tests that NSAC deems necessary. NSAC can simply take their blood samples a couple weeks out and test for HIV, Hepatitis and PEDs at the highest testing levels, all at the same time, for both fighters and set a precedent for the most documented tests that they've done thus far. The move could help them immediately regain some of the credibility they've lost due to this newly exposed chink in their armor.
Let's keep our fingers crossed that today, the voice of reason and equity prevails. There's too much money for everyone involved - promoters, hotels, casinos, limo services, restaurants, airlines, cable and dish companies and, most importantly, the fighters - to let it slip through their fingers. This fight needs to happen. Our thirst for a megafight of this enormity has been building for a decade. The P4P crown will be thrown into the middle of the ring between two royal lions and, in the end, only one will lay claim to its glory. It will be "The Moment of Truth."
[EDITOR'S NOTE: FightHype would like to welcome the talent and opinion of Donald Zanders to the team.]