Pacquiao seeks default against Mayweather in defamation suit

Manny Pacquiao, the eight-division world champion and congressman from the Philippines, has filed a motion through his attorneys in U.S. District Court in Nevada to issue a default against fellow boxer Floyd Mayweather in the defamation lawsuit against Mayweather.

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  By Julie Jacobson, AP
  Manny Pacquiao is asking for a default ruling in his defamation suit against Floyd Mayweather Jr., seeking up to $10 million in damages.

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By Julie Jacobson, AP

Manny Pacquiao is asking for a default ruling in his defamation suit against Floyd Mayweather Jr., seeking up to $10 million in damages.

The default, according to one of Pacquiao's attorneys,Daniel Petrocelli, is in response to what he says is Mayweather's refusal to appear in court for a deposition. Court documents, which were obtained by USA TODAY Thursday, show that Pacquiao's representatives offered no fewer than 24 dates, all of which Mayweather allegedly declined, citing training as a reason for not showing up.

Mayweather is scheduled to fight Victor Ortiz at theMGM Grand in Las Vegas on Sept. 17. The documents contain photos of Mayweather taken in various parts of the country during the time he said he was in training.

Pacquiao's representatives are asking the court to issue a default, which means judgment would be rendered against Mayweather in Pacquiao's favor on the issue of defamation; there would then be a separate hearing on damages. Petrocelli said they would seek more than $10 million in damages, plus attorney fees.

"(Mayweather's) lawyer has to respond to the motion, and the judge will need to decide," Petrocelli said Thursday. "Judges can and do issue defaults against parties who do not obey their orders and won't participate in the discovery process according the rules. And you forfeit your opportunity to be a litigant when you defy the rules."

The defamation suit was originally filed by Pacquiao in response to allegations made by Mayweather and his trainer and uncle, Roger Mayweather, that Pacquiao was taking performance-enhancing drugs.

Pacquiao settled a defamation suit against Golden Boy Promotions in May.

In other news involving a possible Pacquiao-Mayweather mega-fight, Top Rankchairman Bob Arum, whose company represents Pacquiao, told Boxingscene.com this week that there are no issues remaining to stop a Pacquiao-Mayweather fight from happening in 2012.

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