Do you think Pacquiao deserves a rematch with Mayweather?

Thomas Hauser reported on SB Nation that the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the drug testing agency contracted by Mayweather and Pacquiao to oversee the drug testing of their May “Fight of the Century”, granted Floyd Mayweather a retroactive Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) for a procedure, which is on the “Prohibited Substances and Methods List of World Anti-doping Agency (WADA).

According to the report, USADA agents found evidence that an IV was administered to Mayweather at his home in Las Vegas after the weigh-in for his fight with Manny Pacquiao in May. Floyd took a total of 750 milliliter mixture of saline and vitamins to aid his rehydration according to his medical team.

Pacquiao on the other hand was not allowed to use Toradol injection by the commission, although it was mentioned in the pre-fight medical questionnaire that they might need during the fight.

Toradol is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, not a banned substance by WADA.

Pacquiao’s request to use Toradol was denied by the commission because the request was not made in a timely manner, while Mayweather was allowed to use even if the procedure is prohibited. Floyd granted TUE 18 days after the fight. In other words: he was allowed to undergo a prohibited procedure under WADA by USADA and was granted exemption 18 days after the fight.

Moreover, even if USADA granted Floyd retroactive exemption – the exemption is null and void because USADA is not allowed to grant any exception or waiver. It is the NSAC has the sole authority to grant any TUE in the state of Nevada.

A bit of a back story because as we tend to have a very short memory

After waiting for five years, Mayweather vs Pacquiao finally happened in May, but the outcome really not worth the wait. The fight, although generated the biggest revenue the sport had ever seen---action-wise the fight was a flop.

The first line of excuse Pacquiao used why he lost the fight was the judges scoring.  Pacquiao believed he won the fight. “I think I won. He did nothing” Pacquiao said after the fight when he was interviewed by Max Kellerman after the fight.

Some boxing fans and few media believed though that the fight was closer than the judges’ verdict and could have been a draw or Pacquiao should have won the fight, but what was clear was that: Mayweather did what he used to do inside the ring, which is to play defense more than offense, limit the opponent’s strength and win on points.

While the Filipino boxing icon was not able to do what he’s supposed to do in the ring, which is to throw volume of punches, in and out movement with fast footwork and lightning combinations.

Then the second line excuse is that he has shoulder injury, and that NSAC did not allow him to inject Toradol, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, which they mentioned in the pre-fight medical questionnaire.  Boxing fans were divided on the excuse. Some admired Pacquiao’s courage fight in there with torn rotator cuff. Some fans even filed case against Pacquiao for not disclosing that he had injury.

The aftermath

The lackluster fight really had backlash on both Pacquiao and Mayweather and in the sport of boxing in general. Mayweather was criticized for making the fight a snooze-fest rather than a slug-fest. Although the pre-fight hype really got traction and attention to casual fans, but the aftermath left some boxing fans really disgusted.

Pacquiao also had been criticized for not handling the recovery of his shoulder professionally. His longtime promoter, Bob Arum, lashed Pacquiao earlier for being "unprofessional” for not going to the US for his check-up and instead went to Malaysia and met compatriot Mary Jane Veloso who was convicted in Malaysia for drug related case.

Back to the IV report

My question is that why this report just came out? Why it did not came out earlier? Is this really delayed and was published lately so that it will spark interest on a Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch?

Thomas Hauser is HBO’s consultant. HBO is Pacquiao's network. Maybe it has something to do why this report now only came out?

However, even if the integrity of Hauser is in question, but this doesn't belie the fact that Mayweather underwent a prohibited procedure and USADA granted a TUE, which they are not supposed to give.

With the above being said, let’s go back to the title; Do you think Pacquiao deserves a rematch with Mayweather?