A lawsuit against eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao could put his scheduled August 21 welterweight title fight against defending champion Errol Spence Jr. in jeopardy.
The Athletic's Lance Pugmire reported Paradigm Sports Management CEO Audie Attar has filed a breach-of-contract lawsuit against Pacquiao claiming he was in current negotiations for the Filipino boxing legend's next fight to be with former four-division world champion Mikey Garcia. Attar goes on to claim that Pacquiao's longtime advisor Sean Gibbons and his friend Winchell Campos instead directed him to take the matchup with Spence Jr. He also alleges that Pacquiao made the announcement to fight Spence Jr. hours after he believed Pacquiao would sign to fight Garcia.
Attar is seeking up to $3.3 million in the lawsuit according to Pugmire's report and he's also requested an injunction to halt the Pacquiao-Spence Jr. welterweight title fight in August. The situation mirrors the one back in May that saw a judge rule an injunction order in favor of Deontay Wilder and ended up canceling a heavyweight title unification bout between champions Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
Paradigm Sports Management's attorney Judd Burstein wrote the following statement in the lawsuit against Pacquiao.
“In addition to the millions of dollars in straightforward economic loss that Paradigm stands to suffer, the damage to its reputation resulting from Pacquiao’s breaches is incalculable. Just when Paradigm was at the cusp of establishing itself as a major player in professional boxing, Pacquiao has left its reputation as a boxing representative in tatters. Pacquiao’s breaches of the agreement therefore entitle Paradigm to monetary damages (and) costs associated with this proceeding, including but not limited to attorneys’ fees and injunctive relief."
#PacquiaoSpence pic.twitter.com/qMYZxoU4CJ
— Manny Pacquiao (@MannyPacquiao) June 25, 2021
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