Urine to break ice in Manny-Floyd bout?

The head of the Nevada boxing commission yesterday ordered

Manny Pacquiao

and

Floyd Mayweather Jr.

to submit to urine tests as a way of trying to break the impasse that has threatened to derail their proposed March 13 megafight.

Pacquiao and Mayweather must submit to the tests within 48 hours or face possible fines or suspension by the Nevada Athletic commission.

"That at least starts the ball rolling," said Keith Kizer, the commission's executive director.

The ball may not roll very far, though, as time continues to run out on the big fight. There was no communication between the two sides yesterday, and Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum said he planned to announce another fight for Pacquiao today.

"There's been absolutely no movement," Arum said.

The tests, which were ordered by commission chairman Pat Lundvall, fall under an out-of-competition testing regulation which went into effect last year and allows state boxing authorities to order boxers to comply.

The commission's demand comes a day after Arum said he would not budge off a proposal to do just three blood tests on the two fighters - and none within 30 days of the fight. Arum, who had suggested the NAC decide next month who will prevail in the dispute, said he planned to begin negotiating a fight with Paul Malignaggi if Mayweather's camp didn't agree to the terms.

But Mayweather's manager, Leonard Ellerbe, said there would be no fight on Arum's terms.

* Infielder Mark DeRosa has reached agreement with San Francisco on a 2-year contract that could be announced today, a source told the Associated Press.

* As expected, the New York Mets signed righthander Kelvim Escobar to a 1-year, $1.25 million contract. Escobar, an 18-game winner in 2007, missed nearly all of the past two seasons with the Los Angeles Angels because of shoulder trouble.

* Arizona signed righthanded reliever Bob Howry to a 1-year contract with a club option for 2011. Howry, 36, was 2-6 with a 3.39 ERA with the Giants last season.

* Finnish police say they are investigating four-time Olympic ski jumping champion Matti Nykanen for an alleged attack on his wife. Police say the 46-year-old Nykanen allegedly attempted to stab his wife, Mervi Tapola, and strangle her with a bathrobe belt on Christmas Day in their southern Finland home. He was released after charges for attempted manslaughter were dropped, but police said he could be charged with aggravated assault. In 2004, he was sentenced to more than 2 years in prison after stabbing a drinking companion.

* Overall champion Lindsey Vonn sustained a bone bruise on her left arm in a crash in the opening run of the World Cup giant slalom and Germany's Kathrin Hoelzl won the race in Lienz, Austria.

* Olympic 3,000-meter speedskating champion Ireen Wust won the Dutch trials to qualify to defend her title at the Vancouver Olympics. She qualified for the 1,500 on Sunday.

* The New York state comptroller has subpoenaed financial records from the New York Racing Association and is challenging the group's claim that it may need another bailout to save the Belmont Stakes. NYRA recently received $105 million from the state and forgiveness of millions more in state debt in 2008.