Moments ago, ESPN boxing analyst Teddy Atlas revealed that a source informed him, about 2 or 3 weeks ago, that he [the source] saw emails from the Pacquiao camp that were sent to the Mayweather camp asking that if dirty test results came up, could they be kept a secret "for the benefit of boxing". This latest revelation from Atlas is similar to a story that was previously written by Tim Smith of the New York Daily News, who also cited "a source familiar with the talks". Although that article, originally released on December 25th, was later denied by Pacquiao's promoter, Bob Arum, Atlas is now bringing it back to light.
"From what I understand, Mayweather's people were willing to make a concession where it would be 2 weeks away where he would have enough time, if that was really the fear, that it seems like that could have been overcome," Atlas explained when asked what he thought about the collapse of the megafight. He then proceeded to reveal the following insider information that, according to Atlas, is a very reliable source that he trusts fully:
"Look, my thing that I can add to this, again, from sources that told me, they said that people in the Pacquiao camp sent a couple of emails to the Mayweather camp a few weeks ago, about 2 or 3 weeks ago, and the first email was, 'What would the penalty be if our guy tested positive?' The second email was, 'If he did test positive, could we keep this a secret for the benefit of boxing?' Now again, I don't know, other than my source, who I trust, told me that he saw those emails. Now I also know that Tim Smith, the columnist from the Daily News, reported on the same thing that I just said. Now, if that's true, again, that doesn't prove anything definitively, but you just wonder why those questions were being asked."
If this is true, one can see why Mayweather was standing firm on his stance for random blood testing, not that it proves anything, but for a man who was already suspicious, seeing emails like that wouldn't exactly put his mind at ease.
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