Manny Pacquiao at a press conference at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on August 18, 2021 for their upcoming Fox Sports PBC pay-per-view fight in Las Vegas, Nevada.Photo courtesy of Scott Kirkland, Fox Sports/PictureGroupCALIFORNIA — A California Superior Court has sided with Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao in his legal battle with Paradigm Sports, overturning an earlier ruling by a county jury last year. 

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The case began with a 2021 lawsuit, wherein Paradigm, headed by Audie Attar, claimed that Pacquiao breached their contract by negotiating fights behind their back. Paradigm, which signed Pacquiao in October 2020, said they had an exclusive deal to negotiate his upcoming fights at the time.

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California Superior Court Judge Walter Schwarm on July 1 wrote a tentative decision ruling that Paradigm Sports was not properly licensed in California as a manager, as state law requires, thus voiding the original contract that Pacquiao had signed with the sports marketing group.

"The court finds for Mr. Pacquiao on the Declaratory Relief cause of action and declares the Contract void due to illegality," Schwarm said.

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However, the document clarified that a tentative decision is only "the court's proposed statement of decision, subject to a party's objection."

Schwarm's proposed ruling came 14 months after an Orange County jury sided with Paradigm Sports and ordered the boxing legend to pay the group $1.8 million in damages and give back the $3.3-million advance that the firm gave him. Pacquiao’s legal counsel filed their own appeal shortly after the verdict.

In a statement, Pacquiao's lawyer Jason Aniel hailed the tentative ruling.

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"Although the judgment is not presently final, we are pleased that the Court made its tentative decision on the legal issues in Mr. Pacquiao's favor. The Court decided the contract that Paradigm Sports Management sought to enforce against Mr. Pacquiao was illegal as Paradigm was not properly licensed," he said.

Pacquiao is currently training for an upcoming exhibition match. 

In the meantime, Paradigm Sports is planning to appeal this latest decision. 

A status conference on this ongoing matter is scheduled for later this month.

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