Pacquiao gets mum's nod for Mayweather bout

Reuters

MANILA: Manny Pacquiao has been given permission to fight for the final time by his mother and plans to take on undefeated American Floyd Mayweather Jr. later this year when the Filipino is likely to be a politician.

Pacquiao, a world champion in seven divisions, is leading the count for a seat to represent his home province in the Philippine Congress after Monday's elections. Earlier this year he had said he was considering his mother's request to retire.

"Many fans really want me to fight Floyd Mayweather, so I asked my mama if we can give them one more fight. She said okay," 31 year-old Pacquiao told a local television network.

Fight fans have been dreaming of a bought between the sport's two best fighters but have been thwarted by the Filipino's refusal to submit blood testing.

"Manny is ready to fight Mayweather in November, but under the rules sanctioned by the state commission, not by any other body," Pacquiao's lawyer Franklin Gacal told Reuters by phone.

"Our position stays the same, we will only abide by the rules set by the state commission sanctioning the fight, whether in Las Vegas or in Texas,"

The two fighters were expected to fight early this year but negotiations collapsed over the undefeated American fighter's demand for random drug testing, which Mayweather said earlier this month still stood.

On Monday, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) urged Pacquiao to agree to Olympic-style drug testing to remove the stumbling block to a bout with Mayweather.

Caption: Filipino boxing great and a congressional candidate for the lone province of Sarangani Manny Pacquiao votes at a polling precinct in Sarangani province in southern Philippines in the country's first ever automated presidential elections Monday May 10, 2010. (AP)