Undefeated boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. has launched a major legal offensive, filing a multi-hundred-million-dollar lawsuit against his former broadcast partner, Showtime Networks. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleges the network was complicit in a vast financial scheme that defrauded Mayweather of a massive portion of his career earnings.
According to a copy of the lawsuit obtained by TMZ, Mayweather’s complaint seeks to recover at least $340 million in what he describes as “missing and unaccounted for” funds.
He alleges his former manager, Al Haymon, masterminded a “long-running and elaborate scheme of financial fraud” with the “knowing and substantial participation and aid” of Showtime and its former president of sports, Stephen Espinoza.
The lawsuit claims Showtime wired fight revenues for historic bouts, including those against Manny Pacquiao and Conor McGregor, into accounts controlled solely by Haymon.
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The boxer’s new management team discovered the alleged discrepancies when they requested detailed financial records from Showtime.
The network responded that critical documents were “lost in a flood” or stored off-site and inaccessible.
Mayweather’s attorney, Bobby Samini, stated, “Floyd is one of boxing’s biggest pay-per-view draws. He generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for Showtime.”
Samini added, “Mr. Mayweather now takes this fight to the courtroom to recover what he rightfully earned. Retiring undefeated at 50-0, Mr. Mayweather will go the distance in the courtroom just as he has in the ring.”
An unnamed spokesperson for Paramount, Showtime’s parent company, told The Hollywood Reporter, “These baseless claims lack legal or factual merit. We strongly reject them and will respond accordingly through the court process.”
Notably, Haymon is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
50 Cent Trolls Mayweather
In reaction to Mayweather’s recent filing, rap mogul Curtis Jackson, otherwise known as 50 Cent, seized the moment to mock the boxer publicly.
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The public legal drama instantly drew a reaction from Mayweather’s former friend and frequent foe, who took to Instagram to post a photo of Mayweather alongside the lawsuit news:
Writing a mocking caption, He jabbed, “Oh no, don’t cry now, champ, they beat you out of $320 million, you dumb a—.”
The rapper continued, “I told you, let me read the contracts now, lace up.”
This is a reference to his long-standing taunt from 50 Cent that Mayweather struggles with reading comprehension (originally posted by 50 Cent on Facebook):
https://youtube.com/shorts/VwUR-_j16AI?si=N0kjjSIjdaL_KzVY
50 Cent then offered unsolicited career advice, writing, “You gotta look good fighting Mike. Then maybe we can get Bud to beat your ass for some big money”, referencing Mayweather’s planned exhibition with Mike Tyson and a potential bout with Terence Crawford.
The lawsuit contradicts Mayweather’s historic financial success, which he claims totals $1.2 billion in career earnings. With the legal battle now moving to the courts, Mayweather will attempt to prove that one of the most lucrative partnerships in boxing history was ultimately used to swindle him.