Pacquiao's defamation suit vs Floyd Jr moves forward

A United States District Court Judge found Manny Pacquiao's federal defamation lawsuit against the Mayweathers sufficient in form, paving the way for a jury trial after the Mayweathers’ motion to dismiss was denied. The Filipino boxing superstar sued the Mayweathers – Floyd Mayweather Jr., his father Floyd Sr., and uncle Roger – Golden Boy Promotions (GBP) founder Oscar De La Hoya and GBP president Richard Schaefer for accusing Pacquiao of using performance-enhancing drugs. Pacquiao, according to the court records, said the defamatory statements started in September 2009, with the defendants publicly stating that he was using PEDs, including steroids and human growth hormones. Nevada District Court Judge Larry R. Hicks, in an eight-page order, ruled that the "court finds that these allegations are sufficient to aver that defendants acted with malice in making the alleged defamatory statements." Hicks also dismissed the Mayweathers’ motion to dismiss, saying that their statements "are motivated by ill-will, spite, malice, revenge and envy." "(The Mayweathers) made these statements out of malice and spite. Given Pacquiao’s spotless record with drug tests over the course of his 15-year career and the absence of any evidence suggesting his use of performance-enhancing drugs, defendants issued these statements with actual knowledge that such statements were false and in reckless disregard for their falsity. In either case, defendants issued these statements intending to harm Pacquiao," said Hicks. The development could force Mayweather to return to the bargaining table with Pacquiao and resume their aborted talks for a mega-bout that would pit two of the boxing world’s toughest fighters against one another. Negotiations for the much-awaited 12-round showdown, expected to be the richest in boxing history, bogged down twice when both camps failed to agree on the drug testing protocol. – JVP, KY, with Joseph Lariosa