Pending further legal action the Pacquiao versus Spence fight could be off
Recently many in the boxing world were thrilled to hear that WBA welterweight champion in recess Manny “Pac Man” Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KO’s) and IBF and WBC World welterweight champion Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr (27-0, 21 KO’s) were fighting. Not only was this a tremendous bout, it also stood to be a unification match and a potential passing of the torch. At the moment though, all of that is up in the air due to Pacquiao coming under legal fire.
Apparently his Paradigm Sports Management promoters are suing Pac Man for a breach of contract. Going a step further, the promotional company is seeking an injunction to prevent the Pacquiao v Spence fight from taking place. If successful in their attempts, this would be crushing news for Pac Man, The Truth and boxing fans at large. At the heart of the matter, Paradigm alleges that Pacquiao violated his contract when he began negotiating the bout with Spence without their involvement.
NOT SO FAST!
Paradigm maintains that they had exclusive rights to promote Pacquiao and this was not honored. Along with trying to block the upcoming bout with Spence, Paradigm is seeking millions of dollars in damages. The fistic politician has been a Paradigm client for roughly a year and a half and is their only boxer. Yet Paradigm claims that Manny Pacquiao and his legal team began violating their agreement right from the start. According to the promotional company, they had already paid Pac Man a $3.3 million contractual advance that he has yet to return. Speaking through attorney Judd Burstein, Paradigm has been mystified by Pacquiao’s behavior.
“It’s just extraordinary to me that someone can receive $3.3 million from my client and then forget about the reason why that money was given to him.” ~ Judd Burstein
If we are to go by Pacquiao’s word however, there should not be much to worry about.
“Paradigm Sports’ lawsuit against me has no merit. I have an absolute right under the agreement with Paradigm to engage in the upcoming bout with Errol Spence. If this frivolous lawsuit continues, I will be proven correct in court.” ~ Manny Pacquiao
EASY WORK!
Apparently, Pacquiao’s legal advisor’s counterargument is based upon Paradigm never living up to their end of the contract. Dale Kinsella, Pac Man’s attorney, was very confident that the lawsuit would not make it very far in court.
“Had Manny Pacquiao known that Paradigm Sports appears to have had no intention of fulfilling its contractual obligations, he never would have entered into any relationship with them. Should this matter actually proceed beyond Friday’s filing in a court of law, Mr. Pacquiao will vigorously defend this action, assert his own claims against Paradigm Sports, and seek to recover his attorney’s fees as well.”
As fight fans, we have no other choice but to wait on the sidelines to see how this unfolds in court. Ideally, regardless of who comes out on top of the lawsuit, the Pacquiao versus Spence bout will go untouched. Yet, regardless of how this plays out, 3kingsboxing will be there to report the news.
By: Bakari Simpson
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