Pacquiao, Bradley face enhanced testing in Vegas
Boxer Manny Pacquiao, of the Phillipines, left, poses for a photo with Timothy Bradley of Indio, Ca., the current WBO World Welterweight champion, during a press conference,Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, in New York. The pair will face off in a rematch April 12, 2014, in Las Vegas. Bradley won their first encounter. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
LAS VEGAS >> Nevada boxing regulators say Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley will be subject to stepped-up drug and hormone testing before their April 12 rematch in Las Vegas.
Nevada Athletic Commission Chairman Francisco Aguilar said Friday the two welterweights will face unannounced pre-fight testing handled by collectors certified by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Plans call for samples to undergo isotope-ratio mass spectrometry to detect exogenous testosterone from outside the body.
Aguilar called enhanced pre-fight testing a new normal for boxing and mixed martial-arts.
He credited Top Rank promoter Bob Arum with supporting the testing protocol.
Bradley (31-0, 12 KOs) and Pacquiao (55-5-2, 38 KOs) will be fighting for the WBO 147-pound title at the MGM Grand Garden arena.
Bradley won a controversial split decision over Pacquiao in June 2012 in Las Vegas.
