Mayweather passport revocation threatens Athens exhibition

Floyd Mayweather's scheduled June 27 exhibition against kickboxer Mike Zambidis in Athens, Greece, is in jeopardy after the IRS notified him of plans to revoke his U.S. passport over unpaid taxes, according to documents reviewed by The Ring.

The IRS sent notice to Mayweather in late March, nearly a month before he announced the Greek exhibition on April 23. The tax agency cited seriously delinquent tax debt exceeding $7.25 million between liens and levies, per the documents. The IRS informed Mayweather it intends to notify the State Department, which would trigger the passport action.

Pacquiao rematch negotiations complicated by tax issues

The timing complicates Mayweather's ongoing negotiations with Manny Pacquiao for a reported September 19 rematch at The Sphere in Las Vegas. Netflix announced the event February 23 as a professional fight counting on both records, more than 11 years after their May 2015 bout. Mayweather later called it an exhibition on March 28, though The Ring reviewed documents signed by Mayweather listing it as a professional fight. On the April 13 episode of "Inside The Ring," Pacquiao said, "I wouldn't fight an exhibition. It's either a real fight or nothing."

Sources told The Ring that both camps remain engaged in finalizing the bout as a professional fight, with the venue shifting from The Sphere to either MGM Grand Garden Arena or T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Mayweather is 49 while Pacquiao is 47.

The passport issue also casts doubt on Mayweather's announced exhibition with Mike Tyson, which was revealed September 4 with no date or location confirmed. CSI Sports, the contracted promoter, was originally tasked with staging the event by April 30 before an extension to May 30, per sources. Any international site, including the Democratic Republic of Congo discussed as a leading option, would require valid travel documents. Mayweather can avoid revocation by paying the debt in full, reaching an installment agreement, establishing financial hardship, or filing for bankruptcy. Multiple attempts to reach Mayweather for comment were unsuccessful.

Source: ringmagazine.com