Officials: Discovery process underway in boxing lawsuits against Al Haymon

The discovery process is underway in both Oscar De La Hoya’s and Bob Arum’s lawsuits against powerful boxing manager Al Haymon, two officials connected to the cases confirmed Wednesday.

In pursuit of sensitive documents and sworn statements by key officials in the dispute, attorneys for De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and Arum’s Top Rank Inc. won the right to press for answers following a ruling last month by U.S. District Court Judge John F. Walter in Los Angeles.

Arum’s and De La Hoya’s lawsuits contend that Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions, which has broadcasting deals with NBC, CBS and ESPN, among others, is attempting to monopolize boxing.

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PBC is bankrolled by an estimated $425 million-$525 million in venture capital from a Kansas firm -- Waddell and Reed -- and will mark it’s one-year anniversary next month with a CBS welterweight title card on March 12 headlined by champion Keith Thurman versus Shawn Porter.

Haymon managed the now-retired Floyd Mayweather Jr. and has boosted his stable to a reported 200 fighters, thanks to the formation of PBC, including unbeaten heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, unbeaten featherweight champion Leo Santa Cruz and unbeaten welterweight champion Danny Garcia.

The lawsuits claim that Haymon is disregarding the “firewall” that the federal Muhammad Ali Act says should exist between the manager who represents a fighter and the promoter who pays him or her.

A spokesman for PBC declined to comment about Wednesaday’s development.

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