Mayweather stands firm

With Manny Pacquiao saying last week that he will fight just two more years before he enters politics full time, the speculation begins on a possible meeting with Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Mayweather, who fights WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden, has said repeatedly that if Pacquiao wants to fight him, all Pacquiao needs to do is submit to Olympic-style drug testing.

"Take the test," Mayweather said during his media day workout Tuesday at his gym off of Spring Mountain Road.

Pacquiao, who faces Juan Manuel Marquez for the third time on Nov. 12 at the MGM, has said he'd comply. But Mayweather seems tired of all the speculation as to whether he and Pacquiao ever will get in the ring.

"Like I said before, on one note they try and take me to the courtroom, right?" Mayweather said. "I prefer to hold court inside the square circle. America is the country that I live in, and I'm all about being fair. I just truly believe if you're the best, take the test. But a lot of times, like I said before, on one note Freddie Roach, and I guess, Team Pacquiao, don't want me to speak on them at all -- don't want me to say anything about them at all.

"So, I'm wondering why are you guys so worried about it? If you had a Marquez press conference, why is Floyd Mayweather's name coming up if you feel like you're on the same level as a Floyd Mayweather? That's all I'm saying. Of course, like I said before, as long as he's attached to my name, he's going to make great paydays. As long as he can keep fighting Floyd Mayweather's leftovers or fighting the fighters that's already beaten -- the media really has to pay attention to this."

Mayweather, who is being sued for defamation by Pacquiao for claiming Pacquiao has used steroids and performance-enhancing drugs, once again questioned Pacquiao winning titles in eight weight classes.

"It's OK for him to go from 105 to 154 (pounds) and say it's all natural," Mayweather said. "If I went from 147 to heavyweight and was knocking down heavyweights, would that be all natural? That's what you got to ask yourself at the end of the day.

"The thing is I'm not just picking on one guy. Everybody that I face has to take the test because I'm saying this sport is a little different from how it used to be. It's tainted. So that's all I'm saying. Once again, the guys say, 'I'm suing Mayweather for saying that I done this or done that.' But you're still attaching your name to me."

■ MAYWEATHER-ORTIZ OFFICIALS -- The Nevada Athletic Commission selected Hall of Fame referee Joe Cortez to work Saturday's title fight between Mayweather (41-0, 25 knockouts) and Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KOs). The three judges, all from Las Vegas, will be Jerry Roth, Glenn Trowbridge and Adalaide Byrd.

■ MORALES' NEW OPPONENT -- The NAC approved Pablo Cesar Cano to face Erik Morales on Saturday's Mayweather undercard, with the vacant WBC junior welterweight title at stake. Cano (21-0-1, 17 KOs) replaces Lucas Matthysse after Matthysse pulled out Wednesday because of a viral infection that caused him to miss a week of training.

■ PROTEST DENIED -- The Nevada attorney general's office rejected Zab Judah's protest of his July 23 knockout loss to WBA and IBF junior welterweight champion Amir Khan at Mandalay Bay Events Center. Judah claimed he was hit illegally and that referee Vic Drakulich did not properly apply the rules.

However, the office did not find any irregularities with the way the fight was officiated and denied Judah's request that the fight be ruled "no contest."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.