A US court has upheld an earlier ruling that ordered former boxing world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. to pay Nigerian company Zinni Media Concept Limited $2.4 million in damages for breach of contract.
The dispute stemmed from a 2017 agreement between Zinni Media and Mayweather.
A statement from the company’s head of media, Alex Nwankwo, said the boxer had signed a contract to compete in a series of bouts in Africa, including Nigeria. However, Mayweather abruptly terminated the contract without explanation and refused to refund the advance payment made by Zinni Media.
Nwankwo noted that Mayweather’s legal representatives argued that Mayweather was outside the jurisdiction for a refund because he is a Nigerian. “After several unsuccessful attempts to recover appearance fees from the American boxer, the company filed suit against Mayweather in 2018 for alleged breach of contract, unjust enrichment and fraud,” Nwankwo said. spoke.
In October 2023, a lower California court ruled in favor of Zinni Media, awarding the company $1.6 million in damages, $721,881 in prejudgment interest, $16,270 in attorney fees, and $285 in other costs. , ordered to pay a total of $2.4 million.
Mayweather appealed this decision, but in its latest ruling on August 27, 2024, the California Court of Appeals, through Clerk Ava McClintock, upheld the lower court’s decision. Even though the lawsuit was finally over, Mayweather still had not paid any damages.
Nwankwo says the court will direct U.S. attorneys to enforce the judgment and target Mayweather’s assets, including a 2015 Bugatti GSV and a 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta, in excess of the outstanding amount. He added that he did. “We are grateful that the two courts have granted Gini Media’s prayer to impose termination sanctions against Mayweather,” Nwankwo said.
Mayweather continues to face additional penalties as the unpaid judgment accrues interest at 10% per year.
