Mayweather takes a hit in court fight with Pacquiao

LAS VEGAS—Unbeaten US fighter Floyd Mayweather might not be climbing into the ring with Filipino star Manny Pacquiao any time soon, but he has taken a hit in their ongoing legal battle.

US District Judge Larry Hicks has denied a request by Mayweather to delay a deposition in Pacquiao’s defamation case against the US fighter, who Pacquiao claims defamed him by saying he used performance-enhancing drugs.

Hicks upheld a lower court order for Mayweather to give his deposition, which had been scheduled for June 17, saying Mayweather’s request for a postponement was “without merit”, having no legal basis behind it.

“Floyd Mayweather Jr. still is refusing to show up for his deposition,” said Pacquiao attorney Daniel Petrocelli. “He continues to defy the court’s order.”

Mayweather, 41-0 with 25 knockouts, plans to end a 16-month layoff with a September 17 fight against US southpaw Victor Ortiz, the World Boxing Council welterweight champion who is 29-2-2 with 22 knockouts.

But the fight that fans have been longing for is a showdown between Pacquiao, 53-3 with two drawn and 38 knockouts, and Mayweather.

Talks between Mayweather and Pacquiao failed over Mayweather’s insistence that “Pac-Man” take blood doping tests within three weeks of the fight, something Pacquiao did not want to do and under typical US doping rules would not have had to do.

Mayweather’s rhetoric in trying to pressure Pacquiao into accepting the extra tests, according to Pacquiao, included invalid Mayweather claims that Pacquiao took performance-enhancing drugs.

The dispute with Pacquiao, however, is not the only legal battle Mayweather is facing.

Mayweather faces a July 29 preliminary hearing on felony domestic violence charges that could put him behind bars for 34 years stemming from an dispute last September with former girlfriend Josie Harris.

Mayweather, 33, is accused of striking and threatening her, stealing her mobile telephone and threatening two children he had with Harris.

The champion fighter also faces a September 1 trial date on a misdemeanor battery charge for allegedly poking a 21-year-old homeowners’ association security guard in the face during a scuffle last November over parking tickets.

Mayweather faces a maximum of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine in that criminal case.

In addition, a lawsuit filed Monday against Mayweather accuses the fighter of ordering his bodyguards to attack Anthony Cliff when the 21-year-old asked Mayweather about fighting Pacquiao.