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MANILA, Philippines – Top Rank promoter Bob Arum believes that Floyd Mayweather Jr. “will have to pay a price” for his failure to give his deposition on the defamation case filed against him by pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao.
Arum told the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Sunday that “there is a possibility” that Mayweather would be held in default by Federal magistrate Robert Johnstone, whose order Mayweather defied last Friday.
Pacquiao’s lawyer Daniel Petrocelli said that he would also ask for a default judgment from Johnstone.
“It would be up to the Court to decide on what penalties Mayweather should face for defying the court’s order and refusing to appear for his deposition,” said David Marroso, a member of Pacquiao’s legal panel.
Pacquiao’s suit stemmed from claims by Mayweather that the “Fighter of the Decade” used performance enhancing drugs, which enabled him to move up in weight and win eight world titles in eight different weight divisions.
Pacquiao has repeatedly denied the accusations and the Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer has stated on several occasions that Pacquiao had always been pronounced “clean” after being tested for steroids and other performance enhancing drugs before and after his fights in Las Vegas.
Petrocelli stated that after the Mayweather no-show that he was “just dodging his deposition because he is afraid to testify.” The lawyer added that Mayweather “had no right to defy a court order.”
Mayweather’s lawyer Mark Tratos had tried to delay the deposition but the motion was denied. Tratos claimed he and Mayweather would not be available on Friday and promised to present Mayweather after his Sept. 17 fight against Victor Ortiz.
Mayweather’s no show came on the same day he announced a June 28 press conference in New York to help promote his title fight against Ortiz.