Floyd Mayweather’s planned exhibition bout against Greek kickboxing champion Mike Zambidis has been canceled after a legal dispute derailed the event just days before fight night.
The exhibition was scheduled for June 27 in Athens, Greece. It was expected to headline the “Battle of the Legends” card. The event also featured boxing, kickboxing, MMA, Muay Thai and wrestling contests.
Organizers confirmed the cancellation after ongoing litigation made it impossible to continue promoting the show. Ticket sales, broadcast discussions and event marketing reportedly stopped as legal pressure intensified.
The dispute centers on a breach of contract lawsuit filed by CSI Sports Events in federal court. The company alleges Mayweather violated an exclusive promotional agreement after accepting millions of dollars in advance payments for future fights involving Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao.
According to court filings, CSI claims it paid Mayweather $4.5 million under the agreement. The company also says it later advanced another $150,000 for medical-related expenses tied to the Tyson exhibition.
CSI argues Mayweather announced the Zambidis exhibition shortly after receiving that additional payment. The lawsuit alleges doing so breached the exclusivity terms of their agreement.
Legal Battle Halts Event Plans
Court documents state the pending litigation created significant uncertainty for everyone involved with the Athens event.
Attorney Melissa Glass, representing CSI Sports Events, explained the effect in court filings.
“The ongoing lawsuit and legal threats have effectively prevented the promotion of the event, halted ticket sales, and disrupted broadcast arrangements, making the event economically unviable,” the filing stated.
Frontrow Fight Series promoter Keane Anis also addressed the collapse of the event.
According to publicly reported court filings and statements, Anis said organizers had invested millions into staging the exhibition before the lawsuit interrupted those efforts.
The promoter reportedly estimated the overall investment reached approximately $10 million before the cancellation. Interest from streaming partners also stalled as the legal proceedings continued.
The cancellation affects the entire fight card rather than only the main event.
Fans were expected to watch a crossover lineup featuring multiple combat sports before Mayweather and Zambidis entered the ring for the headline exhibition.
Questions Surround Future Mayweather Fights
The lawsuit could have implications beyond the canceled exhibition.
CSI contends it holds exclusive promotional rights to a planned exhibition between Mayweather and Tyson. The company also claims it has contractual rights involving Mayweather’s proposed rematch with Pacquiao.
The complaint argues Mayweather was obligated to complete the Tyson event before pursuing other fights.
The Tyson exhibition had previously been targeted for 2026. Plans reportedly shifted after Tyson dealt with a hand injury.
Meanwhile, uncertainty has also surrounded the timing of a Mayweather-Pacquiao rematch as the legal proceedings continue.
Neither Mayweather nor his representatives had publicly issued a detailed response addressing the cancellation of the Greece exhibition at the time of reporting.
Whether the bout with Zambidis is eventually rescheduled remains unclear.