Pacquiao v. Clottey Weigh In
As any true Manny Pacquiao fan knows, Manny filed a defamation lawsuit against Floyd Mayweather, Jr., and Floyd’s uncle, Roger, for alleging that Manny used performance enhancing drugs. Manny denied these claims and sued the Mayweather camp for harm caused by the allegations.
The U.S. Supreme Court has long since declared that “the interest of a Plaintiff in a defamation suit is his reputation.” The court recognizes that reputations have value, and, thus, any person can seek relief and damages when his or her reputation has been harmed.
Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
Through his attorneys, Manny requested that Floyd show up for a deposition (a meeting where attorneys can ask parties and witnesses questions under oath so they can use the responses in court in place of spoken testimony). Manny’s attorneys sought to question Floyd about his allegations and proposed at least twenty-four different dates for Floyd’s deposition. Interestingly, Floyd claimed to be unavailable on all of the dates due to “training,” yet photos surfaced of him traveling for pleasure in various parts of the U.S. during that time.
Floyd is scheduled to fight Victor Ortiz on September 17, 2011, at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Manny will fight Juan Manuel Marquez on November 12, 2011, in the same venue.
Due to Floyd’s unwillingness to show up for a deposition, Manny’s attorneys asked the Court to issue a default judgment on the defamation claims. (A default judgment amounts to the legal equivalent of a TKO). Manny’s attorneys seek more than $10 million in damages, plus attorneys fees.
If Floyd continues to refuse to be deposed, the defamation case is a done deal in favor of Manny. AND, since the public at large sees Manny as the favorite and Floyd as cowering away, Manny ALSO wins in the public eye as long as Floyd refuses to fight. In this lawyer’s opinion, Floyd needs to touch gloves and come out fighting, although I don’t expect it to end well for him. Floyd very well may share this sentiment which could explain why he still won’t face Pac-Man in the ring.
Nicholas D. Myers, Esq.
