Claims that Sen. Manny Pacquiao requested advance payment from the promoter of the canceled fight between Pacquiao and mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor are not true.
Lawyer Nikki de Vega, Pacquiao legal counsel, said the allegations by Jayke Joson, a former aide of the senator, were “merely fabricated.”
In a news conference on Tuesday, De Vega said Joson was not even privy to the contract between Pacquiao and Paradigm Sports, the promotion arm of combat sports manager Audie Attar who also manages McGregor.
“He was never a party to that contract. He was not a signatory. He was not a party there. He’s not even a party to the contract. We’re just wondering where his statements came from, that he released P165 million,” said de Vega, adding that Pacquiao’s camp is categorically denying Joson’s assertions.
Claims of “advance payments” supposedly made by Pacquiao are “baseless and false.” That’s why we’re here to clarify that,” De Vega said.
Last June, Attar filed a lawsuit against Pacquio for breach of contract, claiming that the senator committed the breach when he tried to fight American boxer Errol Spence Jr.
Attar said that he was supposed to be negotiating for a fight between Pacquiao and four-division champion Mikey Garcia. Pacquiao eventually went on to fight Cuban Yordenis Ugas, who was a last-minute replacement to Spence who sat out due to injury.
Joson made the allegations in an interview, saying that Pacquiao allegedly sought for around P165 million from Paradigm as an advance payment, which he would supposedly use to help the people.
But De Vega said that Pacquiao’s case with Paradigm is already pending. The lawyer said they will file a cyberlibel complaint against Joson.
For his part, Joson said he welcomes the charges that will be filed against him. He even challenged his former boss to a debate so that the truth will come out.
Joson is also running as a nominne of the Frontliners party-list.
