What To Know
- One of boxing’s all-time greatest, Floyd Mayweather, is facing felony charges related to the alledged theft of a luxury watch in Las Vegas
- Mayweather, age 49, is scheduled to fight in three exhibition fights, the first in Greece on June 27.
- Mayweather vs Pacquiao 2 was announced in February by Netflix, but it’s unclear whether the rematch will take place.
Floyd Mayweather, who was already dodging a series of court cases and a tax bill to the IRS of more than $7 million ahead of the first of a series of exhibition fights scheduled in 2026 on June 27, is once again making headlines for making trouble.
Mayweather, age 49, is considered one of the best boxers of all time, with an undefeated professional record of 50 wins against no losses. He won titles in five weight divisions during his 21-year career.
Mayweather retired officially in 2017 after defeating mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor for his 50th win. He reportedly earned more than one billion dollars.
Mayweather Stiffs Jeweler of $200,000
As reported by multiple news outlets, including the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Mayweather has been charged by the Clark County District Attorney’s office with bouncing a $200,000 check meant to pay for a luxury watch at a Las Vegas jeweler.
The district attorney filed its case alleging Floyd Joy Mayweather passed a check with intent to defraud with a theft value of $100,000 or greater.
The case reportedly involved a December 31, 2024, purchase of merchandise from Gold and Beyond at 376 W. Sahara Avenue in Las Vegas.
ESPN reported the purchase was for an Audemars Piguet watch.
Boutique owners reportedly spent over a year trying to collect on the bad debt, but got no response to demands.
A summons was issued for Mayweather on April 30, ordering him to appear in court on Monday, June 15. An attorney reportedly appeared on Mayweather’s behalf.
Money Mayweather’s Money Troubles
Floyd Mayweather may be unbeaten in a boxing ring, but he’s in serious danger of being defeated b his numerous reported financial troubles.
Earlier this year, it was reported that Mayweather owed more than $7 million in unpaid taxes to the Internal Revenue Service from 2018 and 2023.
The IRS filed a notice of federal tax lien with the recorder’s office in Clark County against Floyd J. Mayweather, listing an unpaid balance of $7,279,664.45.
The IRS can report tax debt to the State Department if the taxpayer owes more than $62,000, which allows the federal government to deny the individual a passport.
Exhibition Fight in Greece on June 27
This would be just one more sad story about the former world champion and Hall of Famers financial problems. But Mayweather has a series of exhibition fights announced for 2026. The first of them is less than two weeks away.
On May 7, an official announcement was made at a news conference in Las Vegas at the Mayweather Boxing Club, confirming Mayweather would face former kickboxing champion “Iron” Mike Zambidis in a matchup described as a “full-contact exhibition.” Mayweather revealed the matchup on his Instagram feed in March.
“Battle of the Legends: Mayweather vs Zambidis” is scheduled on Saturday, June 27, at the OAKA Olympic Complex in Athens, Greece. The number of rounds was not revealed.
The event is a pay-per-view presented live by Frontrow Fight Series, Mayweather Promotions, and Zambidis Club from the Telekom Center, Athens at OAKA Olympic Complex in Athens, Greece. No details yet on the price point. Tickets still remain on sale via More.com.
Will Financial Crimes Tarnish Mayweather’s Legacy?
One of the best pound-for-pound fighters of all time, Floyd Mayweather compiled a perfect record, winning 15 major world championships in five weight divisions from super featherweight to light middleweight.
Mayweather was named “Fighter of the Decade” for the 2010s by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) and The Sporting News. He is also a three-time winner of the BWAA Fighter of the Year and a six-time winner of the ESPY Award’s Best Fighter.
In 2016, ESPN ranked him the greatest boxer of the last 25 years. The Ring ranked him the greatest boxer, pound-for-pound, of the 21st century.
After Mayweather retired in 2017, he has fought a number of high-profile, big-money exhibitions around the world, including in Dubai, Japan, and the UK against kickboxers, YouTubers, and MMA fighters. Among his foes: Tenshin Nasukawa, Logan Paul, and Deji.
Rumors of a matchup between Mayweather and Mike Tyson this year have swirled for months. Tyson hasn’t confirmed whether the proposed exhibition will actually happen or not.
Status of Mayweather vs Pacquiao 2 Unknown
In February, Netflix announced the Mayweather vs Pacquiao 2 rematch. The graphic and promotional materials are still on the Netflix website. But when Mayweather insisted the matchup was an exhibition and not a sanctioned fight, Pacquiao pushed back. The nature of the negotiations and the matchup are still in limbo.
Gayle Falkenthal is an award-winning boxing journalist with more than four dozen awards for both written and video coverage from the Boxing Writers Association of America, Society of Professional Journalists, and San Diego Press Club, where she is the past president. She is the only woman journalist who is a full voting member of the BWAA. She is the Boxing Editor for NY Fights based in San Diego, California.