Floyd Mayweather Jr., one of the most successful boxers the world has ever seen, has opened a new battle, this time in court. The American boxing icon has filed a lawsuit against U.S. television network Showtime, claiming he was unfairly denied a large share of his fight earnings.
The case, filed on Tuesday, says Mayweather is owed at least $340 million. He believes the money was moved through systems he did not control, with little or no clear explanation given to him over several years.
Mayweather, now 48, says the issue began during his long-running business relationship with Showtime, which started in 2013. That deal covered six major fights and helped push boxing to record-breaking global audiences, especially through pay-per-view events.
One of those fights, the much-anticipated bout against Manny Pacquiao, became a historic moment in world boxing. The event reportedly generated more than $410 million from pay-per-view sales, drawing viewers from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.
Despite the huge success of these fights, Mayweather claims the financial reporting around his earnings was not transparent. He says money from his bouts was placed into accounts managed by his former business partner, Al Haymon, without proper oversight. Haymon is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also names Showtime executive Stephen Espinoza, accusing him of allowing a system that left the boxer financially exposed, even though Mayweather’s total career earnings are estimated to be over $1.2 billion.
Mayweather retired from professional boxing in 2017 with a perfect 50–0 record, a rare achievement in the sport. Since then, he has remained active through exhibition fights, keeping his global fan base engaged.