Floyd Mayweather Jr. may be the best defensive boxer since Pernell Whitaker, but he has a shit-eating grin, a toy punch, and, at least when it comes to Manny Pacquiao, a yellow streak the width of Route 15. Mayweather has been ducking Pacquiao for years, claiming all the while that the Filipino was on steroids (and making some racist and homophobic remarks to boot). Now that Pacquiao has sued Mayweather for defamation, Pretty Boy Floyd is running from a court-ordered deposition. From the Los Angeles Times:
Mayweather does not plan to show up as requested for a deposition at a Las Vegas law office.
Pacquiao is suing Mayweather and his father for defamation over defamatory statements claiming that the Filipino star has used performance-enhancing drugs to become the world's top pound-for-pound fighter.
"We're anxious to get to trial and, as a result of this, we'll be seeking a default judgment to win the case by default in the upcoming weeks," Pacquiao attorney Daniel Petrocelli said. "This is just ducking a deposition."
Attempts to reach Mayweather and his attorneys Thursday were unsuccessful.
Petrocelli said a Nevada judge denied Mayweather's emergency appeal to avoid the deposition, in which Petrocelli will have the chance to ask Mayweather to explain what the attorney said has been "a steady stream of false and defamatory statements" alluding to Pacquiao as a user of performance-enhancing drugs.
Later Thursday, Petrocelli said he received a letter from Mayweather attorney Mark Tratos saying the boxer would not appear at the deposition Friday because he planned to appeal the order for him to be there.
The defamation suit is, of course, not the extent of Mayweather's legal woes:
Mayweather, who has fought only twice since stopping Britain's Ricky Hatton in December of 2007, also faces two court cases, one which could result in a 34-year prison sentence.
Mayweather's evidence hearing on felony domestic violence charges is set for July 29. He is accused of grand larceny, coercion and robbery felonies stemming from an dispute last September with former girlfriend Josie Harris and could go behind bars for 34 years if convicted on all charges.
Mayweather also faces a September 1 trial date on a misdemeanour battery charge for allegedly poking a 21-year-old homeowners' association security guard in the face during a scuffle last November over parking tickets. He faces a maximum of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine in that case.
Yeah, the superfight is only going to happen in our video game dreams.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. avoiding deposition in Manny Pacquiao case [LA Times]