Floyd Mayweather Jr. may have secured the biggest payday in the sport’s history last Saturday, but it has only acted to further the target on his back. Not the one that potential opponents have painted him with because that one has been as deep as it is desperate for quite some time. Not the one that critical journalists and fans have stamped him with because that one is as magnified as it is deserved.
With Mayweather’s win, he has secured the probability of legal retaliation that comes with such a high profile financial portfolio.
According to Tim Kenneally of thewrap.com, Mayweather Jr. is being sued by his ex-girlfriend Josie Harris for $20M for an interview Mayweather gave to Katie Couric in which he claimed that Harris was on drugs.
During the interview, Couric questioned Mayweather Jr. about his history with domestic violence, specifically the incident which led to his guilty plea of a domestic violence charge stemming from a 2010 incident with Harris. The guilty plea came with a 90 day jail sentence.
In the interview, Mayweather alleged that Harris was on drugs during the confrontation.
“Did I kick, stomp and beat someone? No, that didn’t happen. I look in your face and say, ‘No, that didn’t happen,’” Mayweather told Couric. “Did I restrain a woman that was on drugs? Yes, I did. So if they say that’s domestic violence, then, you know what? I’m guilty. I’m guilty of restraining someone.”
The lawsuit alleges that Mayweather defamed Harris when he lied in the interview about her alleged drug use, which she denies.
As an aspiring author and TV personality, Harris’ suit claims that Mayweather’s false allegations have hurt her professionally, as well as personally.
There has been no response from the Mayweather camp as of yet, but I wouldn’t expect anything at this point. The best thing for Mayweather to do is never to say another word on the subject, and if he has anyone in his inner circle with half a brain then that is exactly what they’re telling him right now.
