In the wake of Manny Pacquiao's victory over Keith Thurman, Eddie Hearn has claimed that 'people' think the 40-year-old is cheating.

Hearn raised the issue of speculation surrounding Pacquiao's use of performance enhancing drugs after the Pac Man claimed the WBA welterweight title in Las Vegas.

The veteran fighter knocked Thurman down in the first round and then proceeded to dominate for most of the fight.

The British promoter admitted his admiration for the Filipino fighter, but argued that Pacquiao needed to sign up for VADA testing in order to dispel the rumours which surround him.

Speaking after the fight, Hearn, as quoted by Boxingnews24.com, said: "Amazing really. Manny Pacquiao is getting older, but he’s getting faster, stronger and better and bigger. So yeah, amazing. He’s obviously training hard, isn’t he?

"When a guy has never failed a drug test, you can’t start accusing Manny Pacquiao of being a drug cheat. But there’s a lot of speculation, and there has been over the years around that.

"So if there’s speculation, why would you not just sign up with VADA? There’s an easy way to just quash any speculation, any rumours, any finger pointing, and that’s to say, ‘Look, guys, I’m signed to VADA for 14 weeks, VADA testing for my whole camp.'"

However, the Matchroom Sport managing director went on to clarify his comments, stating: "I’m not saying Manny Pacquiao is cheating. I’m saying people think he is. So surely for your own credibility, you would just sign up for VADA testing.

"But he is a pound-for-pound fighter; he is a legend.

"For me, I hope he’s never been near a performance enhancing drug. I will be surprised if he hasn’t. Maybe he’s a freak of nature, and he’s a genius. But to help Manny Pacquiao help quash all that finger pointing, just do VADA testing. But he’s a talent.

Hearn continued, adding: "You can’t just say, 'that’s because he’s doing performance enhancing drugs.' I think that’s harsh on Manny. He’s never failed a drug test, but he’s never really been tested in a way that all boxers should be tested. This isn’t just about Manny Pacquiao. It’s about all boxers. If there’s not testing for all championship fights, it’s a f**king disgrace."