One More Question

[Rantcatrat]

Can you guys answer me one more question? Let's assume Pacquiao (as he should have) decided to take the tests demanded by Floyd, would that have convinced you that Manny never had been on steroids in the past? Is there anything that would convince you Manny didn't take drugs in the past?

See me personally, I don't think so unless Manny whupped Floyd after passing all of Floyd's tests, but even then that could be attributed to Manny just being better. The truth is there is no way absent admission by the fighter himself or proof by the supplier that a fighter took roids in the past. There just isn't. If he had taken the tests, the motivation behind it could have just been the coin. 20M is enough money to convince me, especially if I was brought up dirt poor in a third-world country, to fight Mike Tyson in his prime. I'd be clean for one fight for 20M, take that to the bank. I may have juiced my whole way up, but for 20M, I'd be clean for three months, believe that.

That is one reason why this whole thing is odd to me. Why not just stay clean for one fight, make the most cheddar you've ever seen, and go back to juicing if that is what you were doing? What would one clean fight prove? It can't be pride in winning because you've already lost and even if you lose, your fans can rightfully or wrongly chalk it up to the fact Floyd is a bigger man. Not to mention, we all know Floyd isn't knocking you out so you won't be damaged goods, you can land one or two more big fights and make another 10M - 15M. Actually, in loss it may even be easier to land more big fights because you don't seem as invincible anymore.

As an aside, the funny thing about all of this to me is that prior to the juicing allegations, I thought Manny was fighting an uphill battle anyway; Floyd would win and win by a wide UD. Wins over ODLH, Hatton, and Cotto didn't do enough to convince me that Manny would be able to find a way to get inside Floyd's reach. In fact, given the hype surrounding Manny after his win over Cotto, I thought the odds were too good to pass up, and even though I'm not a betting man per se, I was planning to lay down a large wad of cash of Floyd. I thought Manny hadn't faced a slick fighter like Floyd before and it would lead to his fall from grace. I'm pretty sure many of you felt the same way. This is all before the Roids allegations.

Firstly, the first highlighted statement applies to any fighter that has never tested positive for PEDS.

The second highlighted question answers itself for me. Of course he could stay clean and take the money on offer, and that says everything. It's not about the money. PED's will not have a massive bearing on how this fight goes anyway. The bottom line is it will be down to each respective fighters talents. PED's would only ever give you a slight advantage, natural talent, strategy and skill-set make up 95% of this puglistic argument. Again, Manny wants to be the man, and Mayweather wants to be the man. As far as I'm concerned, both fighters ego's are as repsonsible for this mess as each others.

Floyd had no real reason to bring this up in the first place. If he is as good as he thinks he is, then he beats Manny on PEDS on not. Instead Floyd, with no evidence has tarnished a great fighters reputation, and thrown the sport of boxing under a spotlight it really shouldnt be occupying. Floyds actions tell's me he is jealous and wary of Manny. I agree with Manny's stance in a way, Floyd has decided that he is the almighty judge and jury on this debacle. For him to decide that the rules of the sport need changing to suit him is plain wrong.

Either way, should this fight happen, I think I'll still be rooting for Floyd.

But, even if you test clean, it doesn't prove or disprove what has happened in the past. The only way to know someone never juiced was if they were always tested in the way Floyd demanded. And because of Floyd's allegations, even if Manny tested clean, won't there always be doubt by some people?

What you're saying is that if it is not about the money and not about the pride of not losing and not about legacy or career (because one test doesn't clear your name), it must be about ego?