HBO, Boxers Protected PPV Sales With Omissions, Class-Action Appellants Say

Boxers Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather and HBO undertook "a classic case" of fraudulently inducing consumers to buy the 2015 pay per view of their match by withholding information about Pacquiao's health, class-action appellants said in a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals brief (in Pacer) Tuesday appealing U.S District Judge Gary Klausner's August dismissal of their lawsuits. The lower court erred in ignoring plaintiffs' claims the fraudulent omissions concerned business strategy as well as athletic strategy, the appellants said in the docket 17-56366 filing. Showtime and Pacquiao outside counsel Daniel Petrocelli of O'Melveny in a statement Wednesday said fight fans "paid to see Manny Pacquiao box Floyd Mayweather -- and that’s exactly what they got. Plaintiffs have no claim and we look forward to responding to the appeal and explaining why the Federal Judge’s thorough decision is correct.”