American boxer, Floyd Mayweather, has filed a blockbuster lawsuit against Showtime and former Showtime Sports president Stephen Espinoza, alleging missing earnings from several of his fights for the network including his 2017 showdown against UFC superstar Conor McGregor.
Mayweather inked a lucrative six-fight deal with the broadcaster back in 2013 and ended up having the last seven fights of his professional career aired on the platform. But claims the network owes him “hundreds of millions of dollars in the misappropriated funds and damages resulting from a long-running and elaborate scheme of financial fraud.”
Mayweather alleges that former advisor Al Haymon screwed him out of money with the “substantial participation and aid” of former Showtime Sports President Stephen Espinoza.
In the lawsuit, which was filed in California, Mayweather alleges that PBC owner Haymon misappropriated a “significant portion of his career earnings”.
Mayweather and his team believe the alleged amount misappropriated is in the region of $340MILLION (£250million).
Despite believing Haymon cheated him out of cash, Mayweather hasn’t named the powerful adviser in the suit.
Showtime and Espinoza are listed as defendants and are accused by Mayweather and his legal team of “aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty, civil conspiracy to commit fraud, conversion, and unjust enrichment.”
Mayweather and his new team believe the money is still “missing and unaccounted for” and have asked to review Showtime’s books.
But Showtime, according to the boxer, have claimed they’re unable to provide them as they were “lost in a flood”.
Mayweather’s legal team insists he’ll “go the distance” to recover the funds he’s allegedly been denied.
His lawyer, Bobby Samini, told TMZ: “Floyd is one of boxing’s biggest pay-per-view draws.
“He generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue for Showtime.
“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.”