MANILA, Philippines – Challenger Joshua Clottey of Ghana said he didn’t even think of requiring pound-for-pound champ Manny Pacquiao to undergo blood tests when talks leading to “The Event” started months ago.
Clottey, who will clash with the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight king on March 13, said he has too much respect for Pacquiao.
"I don't want to do that (seek blood test) because I respect him so much," Clottey said in a report posted on LasVegasSun.com.
The drug testing demand was the reason the negotiations between the camps of Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. collapsed.
The American fighter insisted that they both undergo Olympic-style drug testing, insinuating that the Filipino fighter may have been using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs).
"I don't think Manny Pacquiao would do that. If he is, he's cheating the sport, but I believe he's not," said Clottey.
The Ghanaian even described the change to fight Pacquiao as "a blessing".
Life goes on even without Floyd
Meanwhile, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, who handles both Clottey and Pacquiao, said fight fans will still see a great fight between the two boxers even as their effort with Mayweather didn’t go quite well.
"Life goes on. If Joshua beats Manny, who knows? Maybe Mosley beats Mayweather and we do a Mosley vs. Clottey fight. Who the hell knows?” Arum said.
"If these were walkover fights, nobody would give a damn. Are they consolation prizes? Well, in a way. The one fight everybody wanted to see didn't happen for one reason or another but now we've got, on March 13, a really good, competitive fight that I believe is Manny Pacquiao's toughest fight yet."
"The Event" will take place on March 13 (14 in Manila) at the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas Texas.
Clottey, who will clash with the reigning World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight king on March 13, said he has too much respect for Pacquiao.
"I don't want to do that (seek blood test) because I respect him so much," Clottey said in a report posted on LasVegasSun.com.
The drug testing demand was the reason the negotiations between the camps of Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. collapsed.
The American fighter insisted that they both undergo Olympic-style drug testing, insinuating that the Filipino fighter may have been using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs).
"I don't think Manny Pacquiao would do that. If he is, he's cheating the sport, but I believe he's not," said Clottey.
The Ghanaian even described the change to fight Pacquiao as "a blessing".
Life goes on even without Floyd
Meanwhile, Top Rank promoter Bob Arum, who handles both Clottey and Pacquiao, said fight fans will still see a great fight between the two boxers even as their effort with Mayweather didn’t go quite well.
"Life goes on. If Joshua beats Manny, who knows? Maybe Mosley beats Mayweather and we do a Mosley vs. Clottey fight. Who the hell knows?” Arum said.
"If these were walkover fights, nobody would give a damn. Are they consolation prizes? Well, in a way. The one fight everybody wanted to see didn't happen for one reason or another but now we've got, on March 13, a really good, competitive fight that I believe is Manny Pacquiao's toughest fight yet."
"The Event" will take place on March 13 (14 in Manila) at the Cowboys Stadium in Dallas Texas.
source: abs-cbnnews.com
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