Manny Pacquiao and his team is under investigation and felony charges after failing to disclose his shoulder injury before match.
Pacquiao was denied an anti-inflammatory injection after his team apparently failed to check the relevant box before the fight. He then said “it’s hard to fight one-handed” after losing via unanimous decision.
Cisco Aguilar, the Nevada Athletic Commissioner chairman, admitted this oversight could land Pacquiao in trouble…
Disclosure is a big thing for us, and honesty. The commission at some point will have to discuss (Pacquiao’s medical questionnaire). I’ve got to run through the process with the (Nevada) Attorney General (Adam Laxalt). But they do sign that document under the penalty of perjury.
There’s the potential of a “class-action suit, where ticket holders could argue they didn’t get what was promised. Nobody paid to see a less-than-100-percent Pacquiao struggle through the bout.
Nevada Athletic Commission executive director Bob Bennett said Pacquiao filled out the form himself and understood the questions. A copy of the form was signed by both Pacquiao and his manager, Michael Koncz.
It’s not just the fact he didn’t fill out the question completely, it was that he wasn’t honest and they didn’t tell us a month ago when he had the shoulder injury. They’re not obligated to, but two hours before the fight they wanted a shot that’s a pain killer, in essence. That put us in a very precarious position.
Pacquiao posted an underwhelming attempt to halt Mayweather’s unbeaten record. His trademark aggression and quick, powerful bursts of energy diminished in the early rounds. While Floyd remained typically elusive, Manny never exited a plodding pace.
Pacquiao could be fined or suspended and may even face a felony charge. Although Pacquiao’s camp said they notified the United States Anti-Doping Agency of the treatment being used, Travis Tygart, CEO of the USADA, told the Associated Press: “We had no medical information, no MRIs, no documents.”
One has to assume at this point the failure to announce Pacquiao’s injury was a genuine mistake and not an underhand tactic to soften the loss. Promoters will likely be considering a potential rematch with the storyline that a fully in-shape Pacquiao is ready to defeat Floyd.
