Philippine Sports News and Updates

MANILA -- Talks about steroid use has fanned a “word war” between the camps of Filipino icon Manny Pacquiao and former pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather, Jr.

Mayweather’s father and boxing trainer Floyd Sr. fired the opening salvo against Pacquiao when he speculated that the Filipino boxer could be using “some type of supplements”.

"In my honest opinion, I believe that he's on some type of supplements," Floyd Sr. told Michigan's Grand Rapids Press. "I think they're pushing Pacquiao too much -- even if he's got [ste]'roids in his body."

His son Floyd Jr., who is set for a comeback fight against Juan Manuel Marquez on Saturday (Sunday in Manila), has been consistently been being pitted against Pacquiao, the current pound-for-pound king.

"I don't think that he can beat Little Floyd with steroids in him or not. He don't have that kind of talent or that kind of skill -- whatever he has in him," said Floyd Sr., whose boxer Ricky Hatton was knocked out by Pacquiao in just two rounds.

‘They’re the ones using roids’

Pacquiao, meanwhile, joked that he doesn’t even have a clue what steroids are.

"Maybe all of them -- they're using the steroids, and not me," Pacquiao said in a report by FanHouse.com. "You know what? I don't even know what a steroid is. I've never done that."

Pacquiao reacted on Floyd Sr.’s statement just hours before he made the ceremonial pitch before the San Diego Padres-Arizona Diamondback game at the San Diego's PETCO Park in California.

Pacquiao’s coach Freddie Roach, for his part, said Floyd Sr. is just bitter over his ward’s victories, especially over Hatton.

“Steroids? Where in the hell did that come from? You know, these guys, they had to come up with a reason why they lost. They lost because [Floyd Sr.] sucks as a trainer and I had the better fighter,” said Roach.

Artest in Pacquiao-Cotto press tour

Meanwhile, NBA’s “Big Bad Boy” Ron Artest showed up the Manny Pacquiao-Miguel Cotto presser at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Los Angeles.

The NBA star even asked for pictures with both Pacquiao and Cotto.

The two boxers flanked Artest during the photo-op with the 5’6” Pacquiao jokingly standing on a chair to make his height even with the NBA.

Artest, who is newly acquired by the Lakers, refused to pick a winner between the two boxers.

“I can’t choose a fighter but I want to see a great fight. I just can’t wait to see a great fight,” he said.

• ABS-CBN