Manny Pacquiao. Credit: Shutterstock.
Manny Pacquiao, the legendary Filipino boxer, has emerged victorious in a legal rematch against Irish MMA star Conor McGregor.
Pacquiao was originally ordered to pay over $5 million (€4.4 million) to McGregor’s promoter, Paradigm Sports, for allegedly breaching a contract to arrange a high-profile fight.
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The legal saga dates back to 2020, when Pacquiao signed a contract with Paradigm Sports to organise a boxing match reminiscent of McGregor’s 2017 session with Floyd Mayweather. However, the fight never materialised. One reason was McGregor’s loss to Dustin Poirier in their rematch, after which McGregor cited a shift in focus towards boxing as a distraction.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao signed with Premier Boxing Champions for a fight against Errol Spence Jr., leading Paradigm to sue Pacquiao, demanding the return of $3.3 million (€2.9 million) paid to him, along with an additional $1.8 million (€1.6 million) in damages.
In a jury trial, the California Superior Court initially ruled that Pacquiao had acted in bad faith and ordered him to pay a total of $8 million (€7.1 million), including trial costs.
McGregor quickly took to social media, warning Pacquiao, “Don’t let this happen again. You owe me 5.1 million.”
Pacquiao’s victory
However, Pacquiao, a boxer with nine world titles, wasn’t ready to throw in the towel. He appealed the ruling, and Judge Walter P. Schwarm recently overturned the previous decision. The judge declared the contract between Pacquiao and Paradigm null and void because Paradigm’s CEO, Audie Attar, lacked the necessary boxer representation license from the California State Sports Commission when the agreement was signed.
In his ruling, Judge Schwarm stated, “Based on the evidence, the court finds that Pacquiao has shown by a preponderance of the evidence that Paradigm did not have the required license under California law. The contract is illegal and unenforceable.”
This decision not only frees Pacquiao from the multi-million-dollar payment but also raises questions about the responsibilities and legal standing of sports management companies.
