As far as the biggest flops go in the sporting year that is 2015, none will top the dud that was the past-its-expiration-date Mayweather-Pacquiao fight. The fight billed as the biggest of the millenium that boxing fans had been waited so long to see turned into a snoozefest. Compounding matters was the fact that Pacquiao revealed a shoulder injury after the fight which greatly affected the entertainment value.
Just how bad was the sense of disappointment surrounding MayPac? Earlier this year we told you lawsuits were being filed by angry fans who feel they got fleeced into putting a bunch of money down for the fight. Now, one might not think that these lawsuits would stand much of a chance to actually succeed. It’s highly unlikely that millions of people are going to be getting their $99.95 back. However… the lawsuits took a tangible step forward this week. A federal judge in Los Angeles will hear the case and determine whether they can move forward as a class-action suit.
Via the Los Angeles Daily News:
Lawsuits alleging that the May 2 fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. was a fraud and that pay-per-view money should be returned will be heard by a federal judge in Los Angeles, according to court papers obtained Wednesday.
U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner must first decide whether dozens of similar lawsuits filed in May in several states should be granted class-action status.
A consolidated case will be heard in Los Angeles because that is where Pacquiao allegedly injured his shoulder while training for the bout, which he lost by unanimous decision.
Mayweather-Pacquiao was the biggest PPV event of all-time and everyone got incredibly rich off the fight. The Daily News says the cable companies earned $400 million from the fight and the boxers each took in over $100 million. Top Rank has called the lawsuits in the past “frivolous” saying Pacquiao was cleared for the fight and the shoulder injury was documented beforehand. That may be true for the folks promoting the fight, but it’s also true that the public was not informed about the injury. Is that enough to constitute fraud? It’ll be up to a judge to decide.
One thing’s for sure – the ruling will probably be more exciting than the fight itself.