American boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. has launched a major legal battle against premium cable network Showtime and its former head of sports programming, Stephen Espinoza, alleging that he was cheated out of hundreds of millions of dollars in earnings from some of the biggest fights of his career, including his blockbuster 2017 bout against UFC star Conor McGregor.
In a lawsuit filed in California, Mayweather accuses the broadcaster and its former executive of orchestrating, or at least facilitating, what he describes as a long-running and sophisticated scheme to divert and conceal his rightful fight revenues. The former five-division world champion claims the alleged misconduct spans several years and multiple pay-per-view events aired by Showtime.
According to court filings, Mayweather signed a highly lucrative six-fight agreement with Showtime in 2013, a deal that marked a major shift in the business of boxing at the time. Under that arrangement, the network went on to air the final seven bouts of his professional career, including some of the highest-grossing pay-per-view events in boxing history.
Despite the enormous commercial success of those fights, Mayweather now alleges that Showtime owes him “hundreds of millions of dollars in misappropriated funds and damages resulting from a long-running and elaborate scheme of financial fraud.” Central to his claim is the assertion that large portions of his earnings were improperly diverted, underreported, or never paid at all.
The lawsuit further alleges that Mayweather’s former longtime adviser, Al Haymon, played a pivotal role in the alleged financial misconduct, with the “substantial participation and aid” of Stephen Espinoza, who at the time served as president of Showtime Sports. Haymon, the founder of Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) and one of the most influential figures in modern boxing, is accused of misappropriating a “significant portion” of Mayweather’s career earnings.
However, despite these accusations, Haymon has not been named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Instead, Showtime and Espinoza are the primary targets of the legal action. Mayweather’s legal team appears to be focusing on the broadcaster’s role in authorising payments, maintaining financial records, and allegedly enabling the conduct that led to the missing funds.
The suit accuses Showtime and Espinoza of multiple civil violations, including aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty, civil conspiracy to commit fraud, conversion, and unjust enrichment. Mayweather’s lawyers argue that the defendants knowingly participated in or turned a blind eye to financial practices that deprived the boxer of money he was contractually entitled to receive.
At the heart of the case is a staggering figure. Mayweather and his current advisers believe the total amount misappropriated could be as high as $340 million, equivalent to about £250 million. If proven, the claim would rank among the largest financial disputes ever involving a professional athlete.
Mayweather’s team maintains that much of the money remains “missing and unaccounted for.” As part of the legal proceedings, they have requested full access to Showtime’s financial records relating to Mayweather’s fights, including pay-per-view revenues, distribution agreements, and accounting statements.
According to the lawsuit, Showtime has allegedly responded that it is unable to produce certain key financial records because they were “lost in a flood.” Mayweather’s legal representatives have reportedly challenged that explanation, suggesting it raises further questions about transparency and record-keeping at the network.
The former boxer’s lawyers say they are prepared for a prolonged court battle to recover the funds Mayweather believes he is owed. His attorney, Bobby Samini, made it clear that the undefeated champion is not backing down.
“Floyd is one of boxing’s biggest pay-per-view draws,” Samini told TMZ. “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.”
Samini added that Mayweather’s competitive spirit has not dimmed since his retirement from the ring. “Retiring undefeated at 50-0, Mr. Mayweather will go the distance in the courtroom just as he has in the ring,” he said.
Mayweather’s fights during the Showtime era redefined the economics of boxing. Events such as his bouts against Canelo Álvarez, Manny Pacquiao, and Conor McGregor generated record-breaking pay-per-view sales, with some estimates placing total revenues for individual events well into the hundreds of millions of dollars. The 2017 McGregor fight alone was one of the most lucrative combat sports events of all time.
The lawsuit threatens to reopen scrutiny of how boxing’s biggest events are financially structured and accounted for, particularly in an industry long criticised for its lack of transparency. It could also have wider implications for relationships between elite fighters, promoters, advisers, and broadcasters.
Neither Showtime nor Stephen Espinoza has publicly responded in detail to the allegations at the time of reporting. Legal observers say the case is likely to be complex and fiercely contested, given the sums involved and the prominence of the figures named.
For Mayweather, the lawsuit represents a different kind of fight—one that will be decided not by judges’ scorecards, but by contracts, accounting records, and courtroom arguments. As one of the wealthiest and most recognisable athletes of his generation, his decision to take legal action underscores the high stakes and unresolved questions surrounding the business of his legendary career.
