The legal battle tied up with the supposed megabout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao last May 2 will finally be heard in a federal court in California.
Such was reported by the Associated Press, adding that Judge R. Gary Klausner will be presiding on whether the cases are worthy of class-action status before any trial can proceed.
To recall, Mayweather won handily over Pacquiao last May via unanimous decision. But it Pacquiao's camp's claim that the Filipino boxer fought with a shoulder injury that drew the ire of boxing fans, many of whom are arguing that they should get back the money they spent for the said pay-per-view (PPV).
A panel of judges will determine whether or not to consolidate the claims into a single case. The May 2 tiff has been under scrutiny, with plaintiffs claiming that the event defrauded ticket buyers and television viewers.
The case will be heard at the Central District of California, the place where Pacquiao allegedly injured his shoulder while he was undergoing training for the said match.
Among the issues that will be tackled include identifying the people who knew of the injury as well as the severity and timing of the shoulder injury. There are at least 32 lawsuits that have been filed from various states such as California, Nevada, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Texas.
Among those named in the lawsuits are Pacquiao, Mayweather, Top Rank, HBO, and Showtime.
The said PPV generated over $400 million according to HBO and Showtime, with both fighters earning more than $100 million. Approximately 4.4 million viewers shelled out about $100 each to watch the fight.
Pacquiao came under fire for not disclosing his injury before the fight proper, selecting no in a portion where it read: "Have you had any injury to your shoulders, elbows, or hands that needed evaluation or examination? If yes, explain."
Mayweather is currently preparing for his supposed farewell fight against Andre Berto on Sept. 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Meanwhile Pacquiao is still on the road to recovery from his recent surgery on his shoulder.
