A U.S. court has ruled that former world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. must pay $2.4 million in damages to Zinni Media Concept Limited, a Nigerian company, for breach of contract. The dispute stems from a 2017 agreement in which Mayweather was to make several appearances in Africa, including Nigeria. However, he unilaterally terminated the agreement and refused to refund the advance payment made by the company.
Zinni Media’s media executive, Alex Nwankwo, revealed that after several unsuccessful attempts to recover the appearance fees, the company filed a lawsuit in 2018, alleging breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and fraud. Nwankwo noted that Mayweather’s legal team initially argued that Zinni Media, being based outside the U.S., had no legal recourse. However, both a California lower court in October 2023 and an appellate court in August 2024 ruled in favor of Zinni Media.
The lower court awarded Zinni Media $1,638,542 in damages, $721,881.32 in prejudgment interest, $16,270 in attorney fees, and $285 in costs, totaling $2,376,978. Mayweather appealed the decision, but the appellate court, represented by Clerk Eva McClintock, upheld the ruling on August 27, 2024.
Despite the court’s decision, Mayweather has yet to pay the awarded amount, which is accumulating interest at a rate of 10 percent per year. The court has authorized U.S. attorneys to enforce the judgment by targeting Mayweather’s high-value assets, including his 2015 Bugatti Veyron or 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta, both of which exceed the owed damages.
