Manny Pacquiao upped the ante in his standoff with Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Wednesday by filing a lawsuit alleging that Mayweather and others defamed him by falsely accusing Pacquiao of using performance-enhancing drugs.
The suit filed in federal court in Las Vegas further complicates efforts to reach an agreement for a proposed March 13 fight between the boxers.
The suit asks for damages in excess of $75,000 and names Mayweather, his father, Floyd Sr., and uncle Roger Mayweather as defendants. Also named are Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer, who operate Golden Boy Promotions and are promoting Mayweather.
The lawsuit comes as last ditch talks are still ongoing to salvage the fight, which has been derailed by demands from Mayweather's camp for random blood testing of the two fighters.
