Promoters for Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather continued talks during the weekend in hopes of reviving a mega-fight that has been scuttled by disagreements over unprecedented blood tests.
But no progress was made in securing a deal to stage the welterweight showdown, what could be the richest fight in boxing history on March 13 at Las Vegas, even with both sides budging off hard-line positions, ESPN reported.
Mayweather wanted US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) protocols, including random blood tests at any point before the fight, which was a deal-breaker to Pacquiao, who said such tests too near the bout would weaken him.
Mayweather's father, veteran trainer Floyd Snr, has accused Pacquiao of using performance-enhancing drugs and Mayweather questioned how fair a fight against Pacquiao would be without blood tests beyond the usual urine doping tests.
One day after Pacquiao announced plans to file a defamation lawsuit against the Mayweathers and Golden Boy for accusations he is a dope cheat, executives of each fighter's promotion firm were in talks to work a deal.
Richard Schaefer, chief executive for Mayweather backers Golden Bay Promotions, told ESPN yesterday that his camp was willing to give up USADA tests as long as a cut-off date on random blood tests could be agreed upon.
"Now it is a matter of the two sides working out the specifics of the cut off date to assure it will still be effective," Schaefer said.
Pacquiao had offered a blood test in January, another 30 days before the fight and a third after the bout, but that does not appease Mayweather.
"We know that 30 days before is not effective. At 30 days, we might as well not even do it," Schaefer said.
Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum told ESPN that even a test 30 days out was off the table unless Nevada State Athletic Commission officials sought it, an unlikely move at best since they have no blood test rules in place.
Nevada officials conduct urine tests regularly but unlikely to even consider creating any until a mid-January meeting, a week later than promoters had hoped to stage an announcement news conference for the fight in New York.
Arum, meanwhile, said he is already making alternate plans for the March 13 date to have Pacquiao fight Paul Malignaggi, another fighter who has accused Pacquiao of doping.