There was only one thing missing from the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather drama, and that thing of course was lawyers. Well, they’re here. Let’s get ready to rumble, in court! In a tradition as old as the holiday itself, Pacquiao announced on Christmas that he will be suing Mayweather and Golden Boy Promotions for claiming that he takes illegal steroids. Pacquaio made the annoucement on his web site, which also came with an invitation to agree to the fight.
“Now, I say to Floyd Mayweather Jr., don’t be a coward and face me in the ring, mano-a-mano and shut your big, pretty mouth,” Pacquiao is quoted as saying on MPBoxing.com.
From MP Boxing.com:
“Enough is enough. These people, Mayweather Sr., Jr., and Golden Boy Promotions, think it is a joke and a right to accuse someone wrongly of using steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs. I have tried to just brush it off as a mere pre-fight ploy but I think they have gone overboard,” said Pacquiao in Tagalog while celebrating Christmas with his family here.
“I have instructed my promoter, Bob Arum, head of Top Rank Inc., to help me out in the filing of the case as soon as possible because I have had people coming over to me now asking if I really take performance-enhancing drugs and I have cheated my way into becoming the No. 1 boxer in the world,” said Pacquiao.
Despite appearances to the contrary, at least one source says that the fight will happen. The Guardian postulates that Pacquiao’s threat to sue may move things along, possibly forcing Mayweather’s camp to abandon their insistence on Olympic-style random drug testing, which has been a deal-breaker so far.
Also, I’m using the last line of Pacquaio’s message on my Christmas card next year:
“These people think they are doing the sport a great service. They are not,” added Pacquiao. “To Floyd, despite all these accusations, may your Christmas be merry and I will see you in court, soon, too.”
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Pacquiao to sue [MPBoxing]
The Manny Pacquiao v. Floyd Mayweather fight will happen [The Guardian]
