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AFTER A REPORT found that Floyd Mayweather took a banned IV before his fight with Manny Pacquiao in May, Pacquiao wants the Nevada State Athletic Commission to punish Mayweather and is demanding a rematch.
The World Anti-Doping Agency found that the fluids Mayweather took, which were used to prevent dehydration, were not illegal, but using an IV is, and some people believe it could be used to mask another substance.
Pacquiao, speaking from his home in the Philippines, told reporters that the NSAC should “impose the appropriate sanction” on Mayweather over the report.
Pacquiao added, “Are they hiding something? For the sake of fairness and for the good of the sport, NSAC must be consistent.”
Pacquiao then challenged Mayweather to a rematch, naming his shoulder injury and the IV report as motivation.
“That is why I want a rematch,” he said. “One without any injury and with fair play. No favoUritism. Not one where the Mayweather camp gets to dictate all the terms and conditions … [The] Mayweather camp accused me of using PEDs [performance-enhancing drugs]. Now look what happened.”
It was revealed after the Mayweather bout that Pacquiao had a torn rotator cuff he had hidden before the fight. Due to a paperwork snafu, Pacquiao wasn’t allowed to take a numbing agent before the fight.
This isn’t the first time talk of a rematch has come up, though it has been almost exclusively from Pacquiao’s camp. The odds of a rematch haven’t looked good, mainly because of both fighters’ schedules.
Mayweather fights Andre Berto tonight and has insisted that this will be his last fight. Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, recently said Pacquiao is recovering from shoulder surgery and will retire in 2016 after a possible fight with Amir Khan.
But the possibility of a rematch always remains for a couple reasons. The first bout resulted in a record-breaking purse for both fighters. Turning down that kind of payday would be tough for either side.
Second, Mayweather’s father, Floyd Mayweather Sr., has said he thinks Mayweather still has another fight in him after Berto. He told Jerry Izenberg that retirement isn’t always permanent, and Floyd Jr. might want one more fight to retire 50-0.
“I can’t say he won’t quit and then come back,” Mayweather Sr. said. “I fought too may fighters, trained too many fighters, watched too many fighters not to know how many of them do come back — a year later, two years later.”
Mayweather Sr. also told reporters that ”Things motivate people. Myself, I would say yes … I believe he’ll continue to fight after this.”
If Mayweather is willing to take one more fight, a rematch with Pacquiao could be the perfect opportunity. The payday would once again be huge, and if he’s hoping to retire undefeated, a 37-year-old Pacquiao coming off of shoulder surgery would help his chances.
But that rematch, as things currently stand, could be a while off.
