By Dan Ambrose: Manny Pacquiao’s adviser Michael Koncz and promoter Bob Arum aren’t too happy about Floyd Mayweather Jr. having taken an IV drip of 700ML the night before the Pacquiao fight on May 1st to rehydrate. While the substances in the IV drip were harmless vitamins and saline salutation, it was still a controversial move due to it being banned under the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) guidelines.
Koncz says that under the circumstances Mayweather should give Pacquiao a rematch. In other words, give him a rematch to clear up the controversy and make things good.
The United States Anti-Doping Agency is saying that Mayweather didn’t break any rules by having used the IV drip the night before the fight to rehydrate. Mayweather was given permission to take the infusion. The USADA was the one doing the drug testing for the fight.
USADA gave Mayweather an exception for the IV drip three weeks after the bout had taken place. That’s the part that has some boxing fans unhappy. USADA noticed Pacquiao and the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) about the IV drip after the fight, but not immediately after the fight. NSAC is the one that is supposed to be giving permission for a therapeutic use exemption (TUE), not the USADA. So it seems the wrong agency was the one that gave the exception.
“I find it ironic. We tried to get an injection that was totally legal before the fight and the commission slams us and then this thing with Mayweather happens,” Koncz said to ESPN.com. “It is unusual and it was never disclosed to us until quite a ways after the fight. Maybe the best thing for Floyd to do is have a rematch with Manny. But we were shocked by [the TUE]. It shouldn’t have happened.”
I’m not sure that Mayweather is going to suddenly want to give Pacquiao a rematch because of this.
I think boxing fans would be more than pleased to see Mayweather take a positive move to clear up the controversy by giving Pacquiao a rematch for early 2016. I think it would set things right again and clear up any controversy.
With Mayweather saying that he’s planning on retiring after the Andre Berto fight this Saturday, it’s quite possible that we won’t be seeing a rematch no matter how much Koncz might want that fight to take place. Mayweather hasn’t made any indications that he’s interested in fighting Pacquiao a second time. He feels that he did a good enough job in beating him last May. However, it’s always possible that Mayweather could change his mind about the rematch once he gets past Berto.
“USADA has a lot of explaining to do,” Arum said to ESPN. “When we learned about this I was outraged.”
According to WADA’s rules, injections of more than 50ml are not to be allowed in a six hour period. The only exceptions are for infusions that are given in hospitals, surgery and in clinics. WADA’s reasoning for banning large infusions is a precaution to keep athletes from using them to mask the use of banned performance enhancing substances.
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