Mediator to help settle Pacquiao-Floyd impasse

The man who successfully mediated an ugly dispute between Golden Boy and Top Rank Promotions just years ago is again being sought out, this time in an effort to save perhaps, the biggest and richest fight in boxing history. Retired federal judge Daniel Weinstein will hear out the camps of both Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. and try to settle the differences of the two parties with the ultimate goal of reaching an agreement to make their March 13 super fight a possible one. In a report by USA Today, it was mentioned that Weinstein will serve as mediator during the meeting to be held at the Santa Monica office of the Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services (JAMS).

Bob Arum, chairman of Top Rank Promotions and Todd DuBoef, Top Rank president, are representing Pacquiao during the meeting, while expected to attend the mediation in behalf of Mayweather Jr. are Golden Boy Promotions’ Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Richard Schaefer and Bruce Binkow, chief marketing officer of GBP. Weinstein’s help to intercede in making possible the fight many believe could be the richest in boxing history was sought following his success in settling the row between Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions which in 2007 disputed the promotional rights to Pacquiao, who had signed with both outfits. Also expected to be present are a representative of the Los Angeles-based law firm O’Melveny and Myers, whose lawyer, Daniel Petrocelli, filed a lawsuit in behalf of Pacquiao seeking compensatory and punitive damages for defamation of character against Schaefer, the Mayweathers, Floyd Jr’s uncle, Roger Mayweather, and GBP president Oscar De La Hoya. All defendants were charged after making suggestions that Pacquiao has been taking performance-enhancing drugs. Suspicions that Pacquiao has been on dope in all his previous fights have made the Mayweather camp suggest that both fighters go under random, Olympic-style drug testing to be conducted by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. The Filipino boxing champion has been opposed to the idea, but is willing to undergo drug and urine testing under a known period of time. Arum's demands Arum has made known their stance that talks about the match will only resume should the Mayweathers do away with their demand to have random, Olympic-style drug testing, and at the same time make a public apology for implying that Pacquiao is taking on performance-enhancing drugs. “Absolutely, from every single one of them. Everybody," said the 78-year-old Arum. “If they want random blood-testing, they would have to go before the Nevada Commission and petition the commission for that," he added. “They have to agree that the Nevada Commission is regulating this fight – period. No outside agency, no nothing. They have to go with the Nevada Commission – period." Both Pacquiao and Mayweather Jr. have not tested positive for illegal drugs in their respective gigs in Las, Vegas Nevada. But Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions, said there’s only one way for the historic fight to push through. “At the end of the day, Manny Pacquiao will put his country on his back and eventually, step up to the plate and agree to the random blood and urine testing. Because there is nothing out there that could do that could remotely come close to being involved in the biggest fight in the history of the sport," Ellerbe said. – GMANews.TV