Boxing fans are eagerly anticipating a showdown next year between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao, both of whom shared the pound-for-pound crown in boxing several years ago.
Since their peaks Pacquiao has lost twice, while Mayweather has shown evidence of slipping ever so slightly in two bouts against Marcos Maidana. Still, a bout between these two icons remains the most compelling fight either can make.
Of course, rumors of a fight coming together now leads frustrated fight fans to lament what could've been. Often Mayweather is blamed for the super fight not happening in the mid-to-late 2000s, but ex-welterweight champion and current Showtime analyst Paulie Malignaggi has a controversial take.
Malignaggi stated he doesn't believe Pacquiao deserves an opportunity to face Mayweather in what would likely be the richest fight in boxing history because he thinks Pacquiao is a cheater.
"People always ask why I'm so biased against Manny Pacquiao. Well here's my personal opinion.
"If Manny Pacquiao was cheating, and we'll never know for sure. I believe that he was. I'm entitled to my belief and I have my reasons for believing that. If Manny Pacquiao was cheating, then in no way does he deserve one of the richest fights in boxing history."
Malignaggi also said he thinks Mayweather would have still handled Pacquiao when both were at the sport's zenith, but blamed the Filipino's reluctance to be tested for the bout never being made.
"Floyd would have fought Manny four years ago and would have beaten his a** if he had just agreed to take random drug testing," Malignaggi said.
"We all know how that went, and I personally think that's the reason why Manny was looking so strong at that time. I think now that they're doing the VADA random drug testing, Manny is still a good fighter but I just don't see the same kind of explosiveness."
Pacquiao has rebounded from back-to-back losses by winning his last three fights thoroughly. He has displayed his trademark frenetic pacing and thrown punches from wild, often unblockable angles. He hasn't scored a knockout since finishing Miguel Cotto in 2009 however, which has raised suspicions.
"People just believe what they want to believe," Malignaggi said of Pacquiao's previous aversion to testing.
"Manny Pacquiao fans want to believe that this is their hero and he never cheated, he's always done right, and he's their knight in shining armor. If you want to be blinded and have your head so far up his a$ that you don't see the reality of what was going on, that's fine. Everyone's entitled to what they want to think."
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