Judge Makes Ruling on Mayweather vs Zambidis After Postponement

Mayweather has found himself in a sea of legal troubles this year.

Floyd Mayweather | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Floyd Mayweather has claimed a small win in court as a federal judge has denied CSI Promotions' attempt to prevent his next exhibition bout.

CSI Promotions filed a lawsuit for breach of contract against Mayweather after they alleged that he signed an exclusive contract with them for his fights against Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao, receiving large sums in advance payments, only to go and sign another contract with an entirely different promoter for an additional fight.

CSI had requested a temporary restraining order for Mayweather's exhibition fight against Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis in Athens, claiming that if the former champion fights Zambidis before Tyson, he is in breach of his contract. This caused Mayweather and his team to postpone the exhibition pending the judge's ruling.

Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Judge rules Mayweather vs Zambidis can go ahead

According to ESPN, Judge Vernon S. Roderick rejected CSI's application for the temporary restraining order as it did not meet the requirements for 'irreparable harm'. Therefore, the fight with Zambidis is now cleared to go ahead, should both parties still want to.

The judge also said that because of the nature of the fight with Zambidis - an exhibition with large gloves and only six two-minute rounds - and that the contract with Mayweather is only for two fights, any damages can be resolved monetarily, if that is how the court rules.

With the court's ruling, Mayweather's team is confident that the fight with Zambidis can go ahead in the coming months, a paycheck Mayweather will no doubt need, as the main lawsuit is still proceeding against him.

What does this mean for the Tyson and Pacquiao fights?

Mike Tyson at Netflix & Most Valuable Promotions Boxing Event Open Workouts on November 11, 2024. | IMAGO / Inpho Photography

The bout with Tyson has been up in the air for some time and has continued to bounce around. It was initially scheduled to be in the spring of this year, but due to Tyson suffering a broken hand the fight was officially pushed back by CSI until the fall. It is now rumored to be September 26, which Tyson is set to be fully recovered in time for.

Mayweather's commitment to his contract with CSI is obviously in question at the moment, but he is still seemingly set to have the exhibition with Tyson, though there is no confirmed date.

The Pacquiao rematch, which, unlike the Zambidis and Tyson fights, will be a fully fledged professional fight, will go on both men's records and is a fight people have been wanting to see for over a decade. It had appeared more set in stone, as they had an initial date at the Las Vegas Sphere to be broadcast on Netflix.

Manny Pacquiao | IMAGO / Newscom World

However, this has now been postponed as well due to the American's legal troubles. Pacquiao was confident the fight will still go on, and that they are just finalizing a new date, which is rumored to be early 2027.

Hopefully, Mayweather can find a quick route through this jungle of legal issues and make both of these fights happen, as they would no doubt be blockbuster events.