INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines?The man who fought two of today?s best fighters in the world believes that Floyd Mayweather Jr., with his masterful win over Shane Mosley Sunday, earned at least the right to dictate the terms of the only megabout on the boxing horizon for the next few years.

?Mayweather is the one to dictate and he is the one who says when, where and how,? said Oscar De La Hoya of the eagerly awaited Mayweather fight against current world pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao.

?Mayweather is the king of the world now,? added the former Golden Boy of boxing during the postfight press conference of the Mayweather-Mosley bout, transcripts of which were made available on several websites.

(De La Hoya?s Golden Boy Promotions co-promotes Mayweather?s fights.?Ed)

Mayweather stood steadfast on his conditions that strict drug testing protocols will have to be put in place before the last two owners of the mythical pound-for-pound throne fight each other.

That puts the superbout on hold because Pacquiao isn?t budging either.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer could not reach the boxing superstar, who is on the campaign trail in his second crack at Congress, but the Filipino icon said in a radio interview that he still will not agree to any testing within 24 days of the fight.

?As long as the drug test is not done close to the match, I?ll agree,? Pacquiao said.

Mayweather?s condition and Pacquiao?s counter offer caused the collapse of the fight that the whole world eagerly anticipated. The two had signed on for a March 13 playdate until disagreement over blood-testing protocols sent them on different paths.

Pacquiao dominated Joshua Clottey in Dallas on that date, much in the same way Mayweather crushed Mosley Sunday.

But the question as to who?s the best lingers.

De La Hoya may have a clear perspective?having fought both fighters. In 2007, De La Hoya lost a decision to Mayweather but he was crushed in eight rounds by Pacquiao in 2008.

?I have to admit that Floyd Mayweather has convinced me he is the best fighter in the world,? De La Hoya said. ?Pacquiao makes many mistakes. And that will fall into Mayweather?s hands easily.

?It will be an entreating fight because there is no stopping Pacquiao and there is no ?quit? in Pacquiao. We feel a fight with Pacquiao and Mayweather will be interesting but I have to tell you Mayweather is special.?

The numbers may disagree, at least when it comes to punching rate. Mayweather and Mosley landed 300 punches?combined?in Sunday?s bout. When Pacquiao made history by nailing his seventh division crown with a 12th-round knockout of Miguel Cotto, the Filipino landed 336 punches on his own.

So the debate rages on and will be settled once the two camps find a middle ground.

?If Manny Pacquiao can take blood and urine test, then we have a fight,? Mayweather said.

Pacquiao countered: ?If they?ll get blood from me close to the match, it will be a disadvantage for me because I?m smaller and he?s big.?