50 Cent has offered financial assistance to Floyd Mayweather after the undefeated boxing legend was charged with theft related to his alleged purchase of a $200,000 luxury watch.

Mayweather faces two felony charges in Nevada after prosecutors alleged he passed a bad check to buy an Audemars Piguet watch from a luxury retailer in Las Vegas.

According to court records first reported by ESPN, Mayweather was charged with theft of property valued at more than $100,000 and writing or transmitting a check with intent to defraud.

As details of the case spread across social media, longtime rival 50 Cent shared his response.

“Damn, Master. WTF is over, if you need money, just call me. We could have prevented this mess.”

“Now the feds are looking for you, I love you bro, I’m not mad at you, don’t call me anymore.”

50 Cent weighs in

The post marked the beginning of another chapter in one of boxing’s longest-running celebrity feuds.

Mayweather and 50 Cent, once close friends, have spent years exchanging public insults and mocking their business dealings, legal issues and personal lives.

Just last year, 50 Cent ridiculed Mayweather over his lawsuit against Business Insider after the boxer sought $100 million in damages for reporting on a Recent York real estate deal.

However, the timing of the final exchange couldn’t have been worse for Mayweather.

Mayweather’s headlines now come at a crucial time as he prepares to leave the United States for an exhibition fight against Mike Zambidis on June 27 in Athens, Greece.

The five-division world champion has also been linked with a lucrative rematch with Manny Pacquiao later this year, a fight expected to fetch millions if finalized.

Instead of focusing attention on any of the events, the conversation turned to the crime allegations and what would happen next.

Bad timing for Mayweather

The case centers on allegations that Mayweather wrote a check for $200,000 that prosecutors said could not be cashed after being presented for payment.

If convicted, the charges may result in imprisonment under Nevada law.

The allegations come amid growing scrutiny of Mayweather’s finances following numerous lawsuits, ongoing legal disputes and recent claims by former manager Jona Rechnitz, who publicly alleged that the boxing icon blew away most of his fortune.

Whether 50 Cent was earnest or simply trolling his venerable rival, the comment came at an inconvenient time for Mayweather.

With Greece approaching and the Pacquiao rematch still looming in the background, Mayweather’s headlines suddenly became far more significant than any exhibition fight.

About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.

The charges stem from the purchase of an Audemars Piguet watch from Gold and Beyond, a Las Vegas-based luxury boutique.

Prosecutors allege that on December 31, 2024, Mayweather wrote a check for $200,000 from a Wells Fargo account. The complaint stated that there were insufficient funds in the account to cover the amount of the check.

The complaint alleges that Mayweather purchased the property “knowing that the check would not be paid upon presentation.”

ESPN reported that prosecutors filed the first complaint on April 27, followed three days later by a court order requiring Mayweather to appear before a judge. On Monday, a lawyer representing Mayweather appeared at the hearing on his behalf.

Marc Cook, a lawyer representing Gold and Beyond, told ESPN that his client initially hoped to resolve the matter privately and avoid filing criminal charges.

“The reason for the delay is because my boy trusted Mayweather and tried to give him every chance to make it right,” Cook said. “It got to the point where he was not receiving any response or money for the watch that Mayweather had had for over a year.”

Cook added that his client attempted to recover the money in several ways before ultimately filing a complaint with the Clark County District Attorney’s Office in February.

If Mayweather is convicted, he could face severe penalties. Under Nevada law, a charge of passing a check with intent to defraud carries a potential prison sentence of one to four years, while a theft charge carries a potential sentence of one to 20 years.

Neither Mayweather’s attorney nor the Clark County District Attorney’s Office immediately commented on the allegations, according to ESPN.

The 50-0 boxing legend will face former kickboxing star Mike Zambidis in an exhibition fight on June 27 in Athens, Greece. ESPN reported that a source close to Mayweather expects the event to go ahead as planned and indicated that Mayweather still retains his passport despite separate tax issues involving the Internal Revenue Service.

The criminal case adds to a growing list of legal issues involving Mayweather. ESPN noted that the IRS has filed tax liens for more than $7.2 million in unpaid taxes for 2018 and 2023. Mayweather is also involved in several civil disputes, including lawsuits he filed earlier this year against Showtime and former business associates seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.

Mayweather has not entered a plea in the Nevada case, and the allegations in the criminal complaint have not yet been considered in court.

At just 19 years aged, fresh-faced Ryan Garner put forward his dream of fighting at St Mary’s Stadium, home of Southampton Football Club.

At the time, it must have sounded like little more than fantasy, something a juvenile candidate might say to attract media attention.

But for Garner, it was a dream he had imagined thousands of times, knowing that one day he would have an opportunity of this magnitude.

No one was able to convince him or his coach Wayne Batten that this dream would not become a reality, and although there were no shortage of bumps in the road, now both are preparing for an opportunity they have long been working towards.

In an interview with Boxing News, Garner did not try to hide his delight ahead of the fight for the “interim” WBC super featherweight title with Michael Magnesi, which will take place on June 20 in St Mary’s.

“In 2017, I gave my first interview here [at St Mary’s] with Trans World Sport. And here we are now.

“We’ve been manifesting this for years, so for it to actually happen is just a dream come true.

“I can’t wait, I hope to make history and become Southampton’s first ever world champion. I know it’s an interim title, but ultimately it’s still a world title.”

While promoting his fight with Magnesi, Garner revealed some glimpses of his soccer skills.

He is undoubtedly a talented athlete and it seems that only his boxing predispositions have stopped him from becoming a stylish winger for St Mary’s.

“When I was younger, I wasn’t that bad at football – I admit that – but of course I was better at fighting.

“I started as a striker, then moved to central midfielder and ended up on the right wing.”

Having played for Southampton’s academy from U7 to U10, it quickly became clear that Garner was most effective with his punches.

Now the 28-year-old has probably reached his sporting peak and wants to become the main contender for O’Shaquie Foster’s WBC belt.

Many believed that at least Magnesi represented a solid opponent WBA champion Anthony Cacace was the most likely dance partner, especially after Garner appeared on his card in March.

However, there was a clear lack of willingness on Cacace’s part, as he would rather cement his legacy with a potential unification showdown later this year.

“I don’t blame him. He’s getting older and the end of his career is approaching, so he wants to unite the team and win more titles.

“I spoke to him in Ireland and he seems like a nice guy. At the end of the day, we’re just fighting for our families.

“It didn’t matter who the opponent was – I always dreamed of fighting here [at St Mary’s]”

Magnesi is probably best known for giving a good account of himself in his match against Cacaca, which led to his split decision loss in 2022.

However, from Garner’s perspective, there is no reason to change the approach that has earned him an impressive 19-0 (10 KO) record.

“I’ve always been mentally powerful. Nothing really worries me, nothing really scares me. I don’t look at my opponents. I just go in there and do my best.”

Time will tell if that will be enough to defeat Magnesi, but either way Garner expects to have 15,000 to 20,000 fans screaming his name.