When the announcement came that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. had agreed to fight Manny Pacquiao, the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, last month, boxing fans jumped for joy. The fight would take place on March 13, 2010 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and would be a split of $50 million upfront for each fighter. But since the announcement, the entire process has pretty much turned into a soap opera between both sides over drug testing. Mayweather's side has continually accused Pacquiao of using performance enhancing drugs and wants Manny to agree to Olympic-style drug testing from the United States Anti-Doping Agency.

Olympians are tested more rigorously than other athletes. Pacquiao and Mayweather would be tested randomly before and after the fight and would consist of both urine and blood tests. The Nevada State Athletic Commission requires all professional boxers to submit to urine tests before and after the fight so the Olympic-testing would be additional. Pacquiao was offended by the accusation and the request for the additional testing and refused to agree to it, putting the fight in jeopardy. Pacquiao also said that he believes blood being taken from him less than 30 days from entering the ring affects his performance.

"What I believe is that Floyd never really wanted the fight and this is just harassment of Pacquiao," Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum told the Grand Rapids Press last week. "We appeased Mayweather by agreeing to a urine analysis at any time, and blood testing before the press conference and after the fight. Mayweather pressed for blood testing even up to the weigh-in. He knew that Manny gets freaked out when his blood gets taken, and feels that it weakens him. This is just harassment and, to me, just signaled that he didn't want the fight."

Mayweather responded to Arum's statement by releasing his own statement.

"I understand Pacquiao not liking having his blood taken because, frankly, I don't know anyone who really does," Mayweather said in a statement. "But in a fight of this magnitude, I think it is our responsibility to subject ourselves to sportsmanship at the highest level. I have already agreed to the testing and it is a shame that he is not willing to do the same. It leaves me with great doubt as to the level of fairness I would be facing in the ring that night. I hope that this is either some miscommunication or that Manny will change his mind and step up and allow these tests, which were good enough for all these other great athletes, to be performed by USADA."

For Pacquiao, the question of "fairness" angered him so much that he's sought legal help to sue Mayweather and Golden Boy Promotions for defamation of character.

"Enough is enough. These people, Mayweather Sr., [Mayweather] Jr. and Golden Boy Promotions, think it is a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs," Pacquiao told ESPN. "I have tried to just brush it off as a mere pre-fight ploy, but I think they have gone overboard. I have instructed my promoter, Bob Arum, head of Top Rank Inc., to help me out in the filing of the case as soon as possible because I have had people coming over to me now asking if I really take performance-enhancing drugs and [if] I have cheated my way into becoming the No. 1 boxer in the world.

"I maintain and assure everyone that I have not used any form or kind of steroids and that my way to the top is a result of hard work, hard work, hard work and a lot of blood spilled from my past battles in the ring, not outside of it. I have no idea what steroids look like, and my fear in God has kept me safe and victorious through all these years."

Even though Pacquiao's camp is trying to move forward with fighting Paulie Malignaggi on March 13 instead, there is still hope for the fight with Mayweather, to happen. Mayweather's camp has backed off a bit on the parameters of the testing and thanks to a recent HBO documentary that showed Pacquiao taking a blood test 14 days before his last fight, proving he was drug free for that fight. Arum is expected to talk to Pacquiao after the new year to see if the fight could get back on track. But is it worth it?