Golden Boy Promotions has issued a statement announcing that the mega-fight between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao is in jeopardy because Manny Pacquiao is refusing to comply with Olympic style drug testing as requested by Mayweather’s management. Early today Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions (representing Mayweather Promotions), was contacted by Top Rank President Todd duBoef, who informed Schaefer that Pacquiao would not agree to have his blood taken within 30-days of the bout. Schaefer commented, “Todd told me that Pacquiao has difficulty with taking blood and doesn’t want to do it so close to the fight. He, Pacquiao, would only agree to have blood drawn before the kick-off press conference and after the fight.”

Olympic style drug testing involves random sampling of the athlete’s blood and urine prior to and after the fight. The USADA procedure includes both blood and urine sampling so that all banned substances, some of which do not show up in urine alone, are tested for thoroughly.

“It is unfortunate to hear this from Manny Pacquiao’s representatives, particularly since, as of today, both parties had worked out all other issues related to this fight,” said Schaefer. “Team Mayweather is certainly surprised that an elite athlete like Manny Pacquiao would refuse drug testing procedures which Floyd has already agreed to and have been agreed to by many other top athletes such as Lance Armstrong, and Olympians Michael Phelps, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.”

Mayweather, who was informed of Pacquiao’s reluctance shortly after Schaefer received word of the impasse, feels Pacquiao has to explain himself immediately or be faced with accusations from the media and the public regarding his own status as a clean and drug free athlete.