Specifically, on July 2, 2010, Mayweather Jr. asserted his own counterclaim (for practical purposes no different than a complaint in the first instance) against Pacquiao for defamation. Specifically, Mayweather Jr. claims as follows:
In retaliation for the rampant speculation regarding his possible drug use in the press, on December 22, 2009, Pacquiao, without provocation, told the website Fanhouse.com, 'You know what, I don't even know what a steroid is. I've never done that. Maybe all of them [Mayweather Jr. and his representatives] -- they're using the steroids, not me.'
Here is a link to the Fanhouse article referenced in the counterclaim if you want to check it out.
The relevant question is whether a reasonable reader understand Pacquiao to be making a factual statement that Mayweather and his camp are using steroids?
For my part, I do not think the alleged statement is defamatory because the statement, on its face, is speculation (e.g., "maybe") and not a statement of fact (remember statements of fact can be defamatory whereas statements of opinion generally are not) since Pacquiao claims he doesn't even know what a steroid is.
For this reason, I think the statement is protected.
What do you think?
I will continue to monitor.
Fight Lawyer
