Top Rank promoter Bob Arum and Manny Pacquiao adviser Michael Koncz have both shot back with their own version of what's going on in the Mayweather-Pacquiao fiasco, but the fighter himself is choosing to stay silent, even after Floyd Mayweather Jr. put out a release with his name on it.
Arum told Ronnie Nathanielsz that the finishing point was the time frame for the ending of the blood testing. While Mayweather believes that 14 days before the fight was totally fair and said Pacquiao wouldn't back off of a 30-day window, Arum said again that Pacquiao was willing to go to 24 days. Mayweather refused.
Koncz added this:
"[Experts told us that any PEDs] will be in your blood 40 days before the fight or the day after the fight. Whatever is there is there for that time period. So what the hell does 14 days have to do with it? Nothing other than to irritate Manny knowing that he has whatever, a fear or a superstition of extracting blood less than 30 days."
Who the experts are might play a role in this, because both sides are playing it up to suit their side of the story as you'd expect. But there is the fact that no drug that anyone could possibly be on wouldn't be there the day after the fight at the very, very least.
Koncz also reveals that Michael Katsidis was considered as a replacement opponent, but that they decided to not go that route as they felt it would be hard to market and be seen as a clear tune-up fight by fans. They also decided that there's not enough "entertainment value" in a third fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, though Koncz sort of contradicts himself with that statement as he also says that any fight between Pacquiao and Marquez will be close. I don't know about you, but I've seen two close Pacquiao-Marquez fights and I failed to not be entertained by one moment of either of them.
Koncz also says that while Joshua Clottey is the leading candidate to fight Manny in March, nothing is set in stone.
I know all the public talking is really not Manny's style, and that Arum, Koncz and Freddie Roach generally do his press talk for him, but this is a situation where I'd really love to hear from Manny. I'm sure that won't happen, but I'd like to get the thoughts straight from the man himself this time.