Pacquiao-Spence tagilid!

Posibleng hindi matuloy ang inaabangang mega fight sa pagitan nina eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao at World Boxing Council (WBC) and International Boxing Fe­deration (IBF) welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr.

Nagsampa ng demanda ang Paradigm Sports dahil sa breach-of-contract ng Pinoy champion sa ahensiya.

Humihiling ang Paradigm Sports na ibalik ni Pacquiao ang $3.3 million advance gayundin ang pagharang sa nakatakdang salpukan nina Pacquiao at Spence sa Agosto 21 (Agosto 22 sa Maynila) sa Las Vegas, Nevada.

Sa ulat ng The Athletic, mismong si Paradigm Sports head Audie Attar ang nagsampa ng demanda sa Orange County, California.

Idinahilan ni Attar ang hindi pagtalima ni Pacquiao sa kasunduang labanan si four-division champ Mikey Garcia.

Sa halip, mas pinili nitong labanan si Spence.

Iginiit ni Attar na Paradigm Sports lamang ang may karapatang maki­pagnegosasyon sa laban ni Pacquiao dahil pumirma ito ng kontrata sa ahensiya.

“In addition to the millions of dollars in straightforward economic loss that Paradigm stands to suffer, the damage to its reputation resulting from Pacquiao’s breaches is incalculable,” ayon sa lawsuit na isinulat ni Paradigm lawyer Judd Burstein.

“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,” dagdag nito.

Handa naman ang kampo ni Pacquiao na sagutin ang demanda.

Naglabas ng sariling statement si Atty. Dale Kinsella — ang legal counsel ni Pacquiao — upang depensahan ang Pinoy champion.

“The complaint filed by Paradigm Sports in California state court on June 25, 2021 is a frivolous effort to interfere with Manny Pacquiao’s upcoming mega-fight, and it can and will fail for numerous reasons,” ani Kinsella sa statement.

Nakatakda ring humingi ng danyos ang kampo ni Pacquiao sa oras na mapatunayang wala itong nilabag na kontrata.

“Should this matter actually proceed beyond Friday’s filing in a court of law, Mr. Pacquiao will vigorously defend this action, assert his own claims against Paradigm Sports, and seek to recover his attorney’s fees as well,” dagdag pa ni Kinsella.