Report: Floyd Mayweather Took an Illegal IV The Night Before He Fought Pacquiao

The IV reportedly had a 250-milliliter mixture of saline and multivitamins and a 500-milliliter mixture of saline and Vitamin C. It was given to Mayweather for rehydration purposes after the weigh-in, according to SB Nation.

The report says that United States Anti-Doping Agency found out Mayweather used an IV after sending agents to his home to conduct an unannounced drug test the night before the fight.

While the actual substances contained in the IV are not banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the fact that they were given via IV is illegal. According to ESPN, WADA rules don’t allow IVs or injections of more than 50 milliliters per six hours “except for those legitimately received in the course of hospital admissions, surgical procedures, or clinical investigations.”

WADA bans such injections and IVs because they can be used to “dilute or mask the presence of another substance,” like performance-enhancing drugs.

Bob Bennett, the Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director, told SB Nation:

Mayweather and Pacquiao’s fight was much delayed partly because of disagreements on drug-testing protocol. Mayweather accused Pacquiao of using performance-enhancing drugs, which resulted in a suit brought against Mayweather by Pacquiao. Mayweather paid Pacquiao an undisclosed seven-figure sum to settle the suit.