Pacquiao Threatens ESPN/Top Rank With Lawsuit
Its been two months since Manny Pacquiao stopped Lucas Matthysse to become WBA “regular” welterweight champion, and the Filipino Senator is still waiting to get paid.
Taking to Instagram on Monday, the boxer would give ESPN and his former promoters Top Rank, a back handed congratulations on signing a seven year broadcast agreement. In the midst of the congratulatory message, Pacquiao would inform his followers that he had yet to be paid for the US rights fees from ESPN and Top Rank for the ESPN + broadcast of the fight, and was looking to begin legal proceedings against both organizations.
Congratulations and good luck to @TRboxing and @ESPN on your 7-year partnership agreement. I know both of you have been very busy finalizing the deal. However, I have not received the US rights payment for my July 15 fight against Lucas Matthysse that was broadcast on ESPN plus. Therefore, I am initiating legal proceedings against Top Rank and all other parties based on the non-payment and attempt to restrict my future rights. Thank you.
This was the first time in nearly 15 years that Top Rank was not the official promoter for a Pacquiao fight, the Filipino boxer deciding to promote it on his own under his “MP Promotions” banner, only working with Top Rank for the U.S. broadcasting and distribution rights via their deal with ESPN.
Pacquiao and Top Rank founder Bob Arum have been at logger heads since Pacquiao’s 2017 loss to Jeff Horn, with Pacquiao looking to further himself from the organization and focus more on building himself as a promoter/fighter.