Fans file $5 million class-action lawsuit against Manny Pacquiao
A class-action lawsuit has been filed against Manny Pacquiao and his promotional team over the concealment of his shoulder injury leading up to "The Fight of the Century" with Floyd Mayweather.
The suit, filed by two Las Vegas residents, is seeking $5 million from Pacquiao, his manager Michael Koncz, promotional company Top Rank and its chairman and president - Bob Arum and Todd duBoef.
"Defendants prior to and at the time the plaintiffs and the class decided to purchase tickets; purchase pay per view showings or wagered on the event the defendants knew and had full knowledge and information that defendant Pacquiao had been seriously injured and was suffering from a torn rotator cuff," the lawsuit reads, according to Darren Rovell of ESPN. "Defendants further know that such injury would severely affect his performance."
The suit is alleging that the fight violates the Nevada Deceptive Trade Practices Act. According to Nevada Athletic Chairman Francisco Aguilar, the attorney general is looking into the situation.
Total revenues from the fight are expected to exceed $350 million, while Vegas wagers on the fight are reportedly North of $60 million.
"The allegations in this lawsuit are demonstrably false," said Top Rank attorney Daniel Petrocelli. "There are documents that explicitly show the medications that Manny was using to treat his shoulder and it was fully disclosed with USADA, which we contracted for this fight."
Petrocelli went on to call the lawsuit frivolous.