Floyd Mayweather vs Mike Zambidis Cancelled as $4.65 Million Legal Battle Brings Athens Event to a Halt

Just two days before Floyd Mayweather was due to step back into the ring, his exhibition showdown with Greek kickboxing legend Mike Zambidis has been called off.

The cancellation ends weeks of build-up to the “Battle of the Legends” event in Athens and leaves an entire multi-sport fight card without a main event after an ongoing legal dispute escalated in the United States.

Court Battle Stops the Event

The exhibition was scheduled to take place on Saturday in Athens, Greece, but a lawsuit filed by CSI Sports Events has effectively brought everything to a standstill.

CSI alleges that Mayweather breached an exclusive promotional agreement after accepting $4.65 million in advances linked to planned bouts against Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao. According to the company, Mayweather later agreed to face Zambidis without its approval, prompting legal action and a request for an injunction to stop the event.

Court documents state CSI paid Mayweather $4.5 million in 2025, followed by a further $150,000 shortly before the Zambidis exhibition was announced.

Promotion Ground to a Halt

According to filings submitted to the Southern District of New York, the pending legal action had already begun affecting every part of the event.

Attorney Melissa Glass wrote that the lawsuit and related legal threats had effectively halted ticket sales, broadcasting arrangements and promotional activity, making it impossible for the show to proceed as planned.

With no resolution before fight week, organisers pulled the plug on the event.

Entire Fight Card Falls Apart

The cancellation doesn’t just affect Mayweather and Zambidis.

The Athens show was set to feature a packed combat sports card including boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, MMA and freestyle wrestling contests. All scheduled bouts have now been shelved alongside the main event.

Promoters had invested heavily in the event, with reports suggesting millions of dollars had already been committed to staging the show.

What Happens Next?

At this stage there is no confirmed replacement date.

While legal representatives have indicated the exhibition could potentially be rescheduled if the dispute is resolved, nothing has been officially announced.

The lawsuit also raises fresh questions over Mayweather’s wider plans for 2026. CSI claims it holds contractual rights relating to proposed events involving both Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao, meaning those contests could also face legal complications unless the dispute is settled.

For now, one of the year’s most talked-about exhibition events has become another courtroom story instead of a boxing one.

Whether Mayweather eventually shares the ring with Zambidis remains uncertain, but it appears any return to action will first depend on what happens away from the ropes rather than inside them.