A whole different kind of battle! Manny Pacquiao has more challenges ahead of him after news broke that he was suffering from a shoulder injury before he ever even stepped into the ring with Floyd Mayweather on Saturday, May 2.
The celebrated boxer, 36, is being investigated by officials in Nevada, according to the Associated Press, for a reported rotator cuff tear. Pacquiao filled out a form that included a question about the health of his shoulders, the AP reports, but the athlete may not have answered honestly.
"We will gather all the facts and follow the circumstances," Nevada Athletic Commission chairman Francisco Aguilar told the AP. "At some point we will have some discussion. As a licensee of the commission you want to make sure fighters are giving you up-to-date information."
This information could have huge negative repercussions if he did, in fact, lie on the form and participate in the fight with a hidden injury. The news of the investigation inspired a class action lawsuit on Tuesday, May 5, filed in Las Vegas.
Time reports that two people named Stephane Vanel and Kami Rahbaran took action with the suit "on behalf of all persons who purchased tickets; purchased the pay-per-view event or who wagered money on the event." The Mayweather-Pacquiao fight was a famously huge draw for betters and viewers alike.
The TV viewing went for about $100 per screen while millions of dollars were paid in bets. If Pacquiao wasn't in full fighting form, the outcome could have theoretically been different, impacting the winnings of thousands. The fighters themselves also took home huge hauls, with estimated numbers totaling more than $100 million each.
Mayweather, 38, called on Pacquiao for a rematch when he is fully healed, telling ESPN on Tuesday, "I will fight him in a year after his surgery."
