In preparation for the super-fight on May 2, Manny Pacquiao underwent a surprise drug test on Saturday, March 14.
South China Morning Sport reported that it has only been two days since Pacquiao agreed to an Olympic-style testing under the US Anti-Doping Agency. Pacquiao agreed to the additional doping protocol as stipulated in the contract signed by him and opponent Floyd Mayweather.
GMA News reported that Pacquiao provided blood and urine samples to a medical technician who visited the eight-division champion at his training area at Pan Pacific Park in Los Angeles. Mayweather is also subject to the same protocol, so both fighters are required to continue undergoing random drug tests and are required to provide anti-doping officials with travel itineraries going into the big bout. They will also be tested for illegal substances after their fight on May 2. The blood and urine samples will be tested for human growth hormone or HGH, erythropoietin or EPO and other illegal substances.
Pacquiao previously said that he had no issues with the extra drug testing required and even proposed that whoever tests positive should pay a fine of $5 million.
CBS Sports reported that USADA Chief Executive Travis Tygart said that their agency can continue testing both boxers through the night of the actual fight. If Pacquiao or Mayweather fails a test, they will be banned from competing for four years.
Tygart said in an article by the Los Angeles Times, "It's a strong statement of the importance of clean and safe competition to have these two fighters voluntarily agree to have a WADA level anti-doping program implemented for this fight. We commend them for their stand for clean sport and the message it sends to all those who want to compete clean at the highest levels of all sport."
Bob Arum of Top Rank Boxing said, "We've agreed on the USADA testing, and we've agreed to their rules. There's not any issue with Manny or Floyd. They aren't taking performance-enhancing drugs."
In the past five years, negotiations between the Pacquiao and Mayweather camps collapsed for various reasons. One of the issues included Mayweather accusing Pacquiao of taking performance-enhancing drugs. Pacquiao also previously refused to undergo Olympic-style drug testing but has since agreed to make the bout happen.
Several sports media groups agree that the May 2 super-bout will be an honest and clean fight despite the delay.
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