Pacquiao vs Spence: Paradigm injunction request tentatively denied

A judge has “tenatively denied” Paradigm Sports Management’s attempt to stop the Aug. 21 FOX pay-per-view fight between Manny Pacquiao and Errol Spence Jr from going ahead, with a full ruling to come today, ESPN’s Mike Coppinger reports.

This doesn’t mean things can’t go the other way, but the chances are looking pretty slim that Paradigm will be able to stop the Premier Boxing Champions event from going ahead as planned.

A lawsuit was filed in late June by Paradigm, alleging breach of contract and other claims, seeking damages for Pacquiao signing to fight Spence instead of a supposedly agreed-upon bout with Mikey Garcia that had been arranged by Paradigm.

It doesn’t seem like anyone has really taken the injunction attempt as being all that scary or likely to result in much, as FOX and PBC have continued to promote the event as though all systems were go, without even so much rumors of what might happen if the injunction were successful.

So for now, it looks like the 42-year-old Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KO) will indeed challenge for the WBC and IBF welterweight titles held by Spence (27-0, 21 KO) on Aug. 21 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.