By Arfan Ali: The lips of boxing fans have been engraved with two words over the past couple of months “Mayweather” and “Pacquiao”. There is no need to shed deeper light into the situation as negotiations are ongoing but let’s unravel back to the last time negotiations took place and were they fell apart.

The factor many thought that would be the hardest to resolve would be the money, however a 50:50 split was quickly resolved. The issue which left many heartbroken as to being deprived of a mega-fight and inducing a lawsuit of defamation of character was the deadline of random drug testing.

Pacquiao’s refusal or Mayweather’s refusal to accept the deadline of the random drug testing created a mixed opinion within the boxing community. Some questioned Pacquiao’s legality of moving up weight successfully and blamed Pacquiao for taking performance enhancing drugs, Other whom were more conservative in there thinking attributed success to Pacquiao’s skills and world class trainer while others blamed Mayweather for ducking Pacquiao.

The refusal of Pacquiao to accept the cut off period for drug testing does not imply that Pacquiao is taking performance enhancing drugs. We live in a world were before we make assumptions (in the court of law) we have to provide evidence and so far Pacquiao has not failed a drug test. Pacquiao refusal is a personal preference which he feels more comfortable with and could arouse a sense of suspicion in Mayweather’s head leading up to a possible fight, 1-0 to Pacquiao in mind games.

Slightly off topic but relating to the theme of “personal preference” the refusal of Carl “The Cobra” Froch to fight Arthur Abraham in Germany is too a factor of personal preference. The gain of a home crowd can always get that final rush of adrenalin required at the later stages of the fight.

Let’s not forget boxing is a sport like no other, the margin between winning and losing is so finite that you have to take advantage of every factor to win. Let it be known mind games have always circled the boxing ring and every slight advantage is one to be taken. Though, once the dust has settled it will either be a “W” or “L” and all other factors will be forgotten.
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