Boxing: Pacquiao-Mayweather agree to drug testing
Boxing
By
AFP
| Mar 15, 2015
Boxing superstars Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao have agreed to undergo Olympic-style random drug testing prior to their May 2 mega-fight in Las Vegas.
The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced Friday that both fighters will have to make themselves available for random urine and blood tests and provide USADA with an itinerary of their travels.
"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," said USADA chief executive Travis Tygart.
"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."
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Tygart said the fighters have agreed to the rigorous rules established under the World Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Tygart said USADA would also perform drug testing after the fight and that the samples would be examined for human growth hormone (HGH), erythropoietin (EPO), and utilizing carbon isotope ratio (CIR).
Drug testing was an issue during previous negotiations for a fight in 2010. Mayweather accused Pacquiao of using performance-enhancing drugs which Pacquiao denied. The Filipino boxer then sued Mayweather and the two settled out of court.
The Mayweather-Pacquiao fight is expected to shatter pay-per-view and live-gate records.