Champion boxer Floyd Mayweather denies using banned IV drugs to give himself an advantage over boxer Manny Pacquaio in their May 2 bout.
One day before the boxing match, Mayweather was given an IV containing saline (salt water) and vitamins.
The drugs contained in the IV were not illegal, but the method of administration — infused directly into his bloodstream — was forbidden, according to a report on ESPN.com.
The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency gave Mayweather an exemption three weeks after the fight.
But the Nevada State Athletic Commission said the USADA did not have the authority to grant an exemption.
In a statement released today Mayweather strenuously denied using WADA-banned Intravenous drugs prior to the Pacquaio fight.
“As already confirmed by the USADA Statement I did not commit any violations of the Nevada or USADA drug testing guidelines. I follow and have always followed the rules of Nevada and USADA, the gold standard of drug testing.
“Let’s not forget that I was the one six years ago who insisted on elevating the level of drug testing for all my fights. As a result, there is more drug testing and awareness of its importance in the sport of boxing today than ever before.
“I am very proud to be a clean athlete and will continue to champion the cause.”
As reported earlier, the upcoming Mayweather vs Andre Berto prize fight will take place in an empty arena in Las vegas this coming weekend.
AS of Tuesday morning, over 2,100 tickets remained unsold and only 25 tickets have been sold for more than $1,000 on StubHub.
Mayweather will still walk away with a staggering fortune even if no one shows up to watch the fight.
