Mayweathers' turn to answer Pacquiao lawsuit

CHICAGO, Illinois – Floyd Mayweather Jr., his father Floyd Sr. and Oscar De La Hoya have 21 days to answer the 12-page civil suit filed by Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday, Dec. 30, before the United States District Court of Nevada in Las Vegas, according to the summons issued by the Clerk of Court. Court records showed that aside from the three, De La Hoya-owned Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) chief executive officer Richard Schaefer, and Mayweather’s trainer and uncle, Roger Mayweather, are also being summoned. Both De La Hoya and Schaefer are from Los Angeles, California; Floyd Jr. and Roger Mayweather are based in Las Vegas; while Mayweather Sr. is from Michigan. The complaint was filed by Attorneys Eric D. Hone and Franchesca Van Buren, both of Nevada, on behalf of Pacquiao’s California-based lawyers Daniel M. Petrocelli and David Marroso. The lawsuit is seeking "in excess of $75,000" in damages, claiming that Hatton’s trainer, Mayweather, Sr., “directly asserted" during a Grand Rapids Press interview that “Pacquiao used performing-enhancing drugs" in the latter's winning bout with Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton last May. Pacquiao taking "supplements" After saying he "believes" Pacquiao was taking “some type of supplements," Mayweather Sr. said, "The steroids aren’t going to make [Pacquiao] no faster. It’s going to make him relentless and hit strong, but that’s it." The interview circulated across numerous Web sites – boxingscene.com, doghouseboxing.com and univision.com. The lawsuit also alleged that in mid-September 2009, Ronnie Nathanielsz, a sports reporter for Philippine publication Manila Standard Today and boxing website philboxing.com, visited the GBP offices in Los Angeles, where he met with Schaefer. During the meeting, Schaefer said that he was sure Pacquiao was using performance-enhancing drugs. In October 2009, Mayweather Jr. told Sirius Satellite Radio’s “The Boxing Truth Radio", that his physical development differed from that of Pacquiao “'cause we know the Philippines got the best enhancing drugs." On Nov. 14, 2009, Mayweather Sr. told Yahoo! Sports reporter Martin Rogers that “If I was Floyd, I wouldn’t fight him (Pacquiao)... It just don’t add up. Take a look at them old pictures, man. That’s a different dude. And he got knocked out when he was 30 pounds lighter, but now he can stand there and take Cotto’s [reference to the Nov. 14, 2009 bout] best shots? Come on." "My son is the best fighter in the world" On Nov. 25, 2009, Mayweather, Sr. told Sports Illustrated that Pacquiao’s ability to take (his opponents’) power punches proved the champion (Pacquiao) was taking performance-enhancing substances." Floyd Sr. believes his son is the “best" fighter in the world, “[b]ut when [your opponent] uses something illegal, even the best can get hurt." The complaint said that even if Pacquiao was “prepared and offered to submit to a blood test in January 2010, another blood test 30 days before a potential fight with Mayweather, Jr., a blood test immediately upon the conclusion of the fight and random urine tests at any point in between, and any tests ordered by the Nevada Athletic Commission," Mayweather, Jr. and his representatives still continue to make “false public statements that Pacquiao had taken performance-enhancing drugs in the past." The complaint added that De La Hoya, in a recent blog post, said: “If Pacquiao, the toughest guy on the planet, is afraid of needles and having a few tablespoons of blood drawn from his system, then, something is wrong. The guy has tattoos everywhere; he’s tattooed from top to bottom. You’re telling me, he’s afraid of needles?" “Now I have to wonder about him. I’m saying to myself, ‘Wow, those Mosley punches, those Vargas punches and those Pacquiao punches all felt the same.’" Fernando Vargas tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs after a 2002 fight against De La Hoya and Shane Mosley admitted taking steroids before fighting De La Hoya a year later. Leaked ‘untrue’ report The complaint also accused Mayweather, Jr. of leaking an "untrue" report that came out in the New York Daily News on Dec. 25, 2009 that said, “According to a source familiar with the talks, Pacquiao’s representatives asked what penalties Pacquiao would face if he tested dirty, and also if a dirty test result could be kept secret so that the integrity of the fight wouldn’t be ruined in the public eye." In a Dec. 30, 2009 column from Boxingscene.com, Roger Mayweather said: “I know he’s got somethin’ in his system anyway. We gonna’ find out what he got in his system when these real doctors have him take the tests." The lawsuit said the statements of Mayweather, Jr. and the others have had an “instant and devastating impact on Pacquiao’s professional and personal reputation as the world’s premier pound-for-pound’ professional boxer" and could affect his “ability to earn the highest level of purses, endorsements, and other contracts." It said the false statements are “motivated by ill-will, spite, malice, revenge, and envy." GMANews.TV tried to get the side of GBP and Mayweather Promotions but they did not return calls seeking comment on the lawsuit. – Joseph Lariosa, GMANews.TV