An appellate court in the United States has upheld the ruling of a lower court ordering a former World Boxing Champion, Floyd Mayweather Jr., to pay a Nigerian company, Zinni Media Concept Limited N4.2 billion in damages over breach of contract and fraud.
Disclosing the development, the company’s media executive, Alex Nwankwo said that the appellate court found merit in the ruling of a lower court, which found Mayweather guilty of breach of contract agreement.
Mayweather in the agreement with Zinni Media Concept Limited was required to make different appearances in Africa, including one in Nigeria in June 2017 but did not fulfill a duly entered agreement and instead terminated it without cause and refused to reimburse advance payment made by the company for the service.
The statement noted that ”Zinni Media Ltd Chief Executive Officer, Prince Donatus Okonkwo, had only wanted reimbursement for the company’s deposits, but Mayweather and his initial set of legal representatives implied that because the company was not based in the United States, he could not make any refund.
“Feeling violated and robbed, Zinni Media Ltd had no option but to seek and retain legal assistance within the USA to address the breach of contract.
“After several unsuccessful attempts to recover the appearance fees from the American boxer, the company instituted a legal action against Mayweather in 2018, where it alleged breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and fraud against the former champion. We are grateful that two courts have granted a prayer by Zinni Media Ltd to impose terminating sanctions against Mayweather.”
It could be recalled that on October 31, 2023, a lower court had ordered Mayweather to pay Zinni $1,638,542 in damages, $721,881.32 in prejudgment interest, $16,270 in sanctioned attorney fees, as well as $285 in costs.
Dissatisfied with the judgement, Mayweather however filed an appeal. On August 27, 2024, the California Court of Appeal upheld the ruling of the lower court.
The judgment was confirmed by court documents made available to journalists in Nigeria, dated Aug 27, 2024, and endorsed by Eva McClintock, Clerk of the Court of Appeals of the State of California.
The document is referenced (Second Appellate District, Case No. B334403; County Super. Ct. No. 19VECV00170). Okeke & Associates, PC., by Patrick I. Okeke, Esq., represented the Plaintiff and Appellant (Zinni), while the Defendant and Respondent (Mayweather) were represented by Eisner LLP, by Jeremiah Reynolds, Esq., and Benjamin Kassis, Esq.
The statement said despite the ruling of the court of appeal and finality on the case, Mayweather still refused to pay the judgment money which continued to grow at 10% per annum.
In a bid to enforce the judgment, the court has gone ahead to instruct USA attorneys to target Mayweather’s 2015 Bugatti GSV or his 2015 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta, both valued over the judgment amount, Zinni Media Ltd further stated in its release.
“We have already defeated Mayweather and his attorneys several times during the proceedings so the enforcement of the judgment will be duly applied.
“Our forensic investigators have also uncovered a substantial number of Mayweather’s valued assets showing that he was very successful but clearly overstating his true net worth,” the statement added.
