(UPDATED) Sports agency Paradigm Sports has filed a breach of contract lawsuit against Philippine Senator and boxer Manny Pacquiao, The Athletic has reported.
The lawsuit, filed by sports manager Audie Attar, is seeking to “recoup a $3.3 million advance” as well as an injunction to stop Pacquiao’s upcoming bout against undefeated American Errol Spence Jr., scheduled for August 21, the report said.
The Athletic reported that Attar was in negotiations with the camp of Mikey Garcia for a fight against the “Pacman.” But Pacquiao’s associates — namely Sean Gibbons and Winchell Campos — instead “veered Pacquuao back to powerful boxing manager Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions.”
This led to Pacquiao signing to fight Spence in a welterweight showdown.
ABS-CBN News has reached out to Gibbons, the president of Pacquiao’s MP Promotions, for comment.
Pacquiao, who is currently in training for his bout against Spence, signed with Paradigm Sports in February 2020. In February this year, the agency issued a warning against “shady characters” who falsely claim to be the Filipino boxer’s manager and negotiate on his behalf.
Pacquiao’s deal with Paradigm Sports was expected to culminate in a showdown with UFC superstar Conor McGregor, who is represented by the same agency. However, those plans were scuppered when McGregor lost to Dustin Poirier last February at UFC 257.
According to the lawsuit filed by Attar, Pacquiao “was never in obligation to fight again for PBC unless the opponent was Floyd Mayweather Jr.”
Attar further claims that Pacquiao’s announcement of his fight against Spence “came hours after Paradigm believed Pacquiao would sign to fight Mikey Garcia, resulting in Garcia ending his brief union with Paradigm, as well.”
The situation has hit Paradigm Sports financially but also in terms of its reputation, the lawsuit said. The lawyer for the agency, Judd Burnstein, said that the damage to Paradigm Sports reputation brought about by 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,” he said.
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