Pacquaio to settle lawsuit with US firm

Manila: Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao and a US-based recording firm have agreed to settle a $10.2 million lawsuit filed in 2010 over an alleged failed recording contract that was inked in the US in late 2009, a local paper and other sources said.

Last week, RBM International (RBM) filed for the dismissal of the case against Pacquiao in Los Angeles in 2010, the Manila Bulletin said.

It was not stated if RBM and Pacquiao have agreed to finally honour their 2009 contract with a new recording of an album of 12 songs this year, or if the boxer has offered to settle the case monetarily – in the amount of $10 million for RBM’s alleged lost profit, and $200,000 for damages.

Pacquiao was represented by American lawyer David Marroso, other sources said.

In September 2009, RBM initially paid Pacquiao $40,000 for the first two songs in the album. Based on that, RBM and Pacquiao’s recording contract would be in the amount of $240,000 for a dozen songs.

Pacquiao held concerts and sang on TV every time he had boxing bouts in the US starting 2010, but he failed to record songs for RBM during those times, the recording company complained in a case filed against the Filipino boxer in Los Angeles Superior Court in late 2010.

After the case was filed, Pacquaio inked a contract to sing, Sometimes When We Touch, a duet with Dan Hill, also a songwriter. The boxer personally promoted the single album in Jimmy Kimmel Live, a talk show in the US, also in 2011, BRM said in its complaint.

In 2006, Pacquiao recorded an album entitled, “This is our National Fight,” which included a song entitled, “This Fight is For You (my beloved country).”

Pacquiao, dubbed as world’s best pound-for-pound fighter, won a second term at the House of Representatives in the May 13 polls.

After suffering two straight defeats in boxing last year, his promoters scheduled a fight with American boxer Brandon Rios in China’s Macau in November this year.