​Photo by Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Meta and UFC | Photo by Ric Tapia/Getty Images Dana White has weighed in on Floyd Mayweather’s growing legal and financial troubles—and instead of piling on, the UFC chief says he’s rooting for the undefeated boxing legend. At a June 28 press conference, White was asked about the swirling headlines surrounding Mayweather, including a recent $175 million fraud lawsuit filed against former adviser Jona Rechnitz and reports that the fighter has lost a significant portion of his fortune. White said he’s spoken with Mayweather but wants to let the legal process unfold before making judgments.
“Yeah, that’s a tough one and I’ve talked to him about it, but I don’t know enough about it,” White said. “You hear all these different stories. I think you have to wait to see how this thing’s going to play out in court for him.”
Rather than criticize Mayweather, White expressed sympathy for someone who built one of the biggest fortunes in combat sports. “When somebody works as hard as he did and amasses the type of wealth that he had and then they lose it or it gets stolen or whatever the deal is, it’s horrible,” White said. “It happens a lot in professional sports.” He even hinted at the possibility of working with Mayweather again if the opportunity arose. “Who knows? Anything is possible,” he said. “Maybe we could do something and figure it out for him.”
The remarks come amid one of the most turbulent periods of Mayweather’s career outside the ring. In recent weeks, the 50-0 former champion has faced felony charges in Nevada over allegations that he knowingly wrote a $200,000 bad check to purchase a luxury watch, though his attorney denies any intent to defraud. He has also been tied to a reported $7.3 million IRS tax lien and lawsuits involving unpaid rent, child support, jewelry purchases, and private jet services. At the same time, Mayweather has filed several lawsuits of his own, including a $340 million claim against Showtime Networks over alleged misappropriation of fight earnings and a $175 million fraud suit against Rechnitz, Frist Apex Ventures, and others alleging unauthorized diversion of funds from his real estate investments and business ventures. Rechnitz has publicly denied the claims, arguing that Mayweather’s financial issues stem from years of excessive spending.
Those disputes have also spilled into Mayweather’s boxing schedule. A planned exhibition against Mike Zambidis in Greece was canceled after CSI Sports Events sought an injunction, claiming Mayweather violated an exclusive promotional agreement after receiving millions in advance tied to bouts with Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao. The same dispute has since led to the postponement of the highly anticipated bout.