Floyd Mayweather’s ex-girlfriend sues boxer for defamation

LOS ANGELES — The mother of three of Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s children sued the undefeated boxing champion for defamation over his recent comments about her and a 2010 domestic violence attack in Las Vegas.

Josie Harris filed the lawsuit Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, days after her ex-boyfriend defeated Manny Pacquiao in a highly anticipated bout.

Mayweather’s attorney Shane Emerick said he hasn’t been served the case and declined to comment Wednesday.

The lawsuit focuses on comments Mayweather made during an April interview with Yahoo News anchor Katie Couric in which he said he was restraining his ex-girlfriend and that she was on drugs at the time of the incident. The lawsuit calls Mayweather’s comments “utterly false.”

Mayweather was arrested and charged with domestic violence after a hair-pulling, arm-twisting attack on Harris in September 2010. Two of their children witnessed the attack, which Harris’ lawsuit states occurred because the boxer was jealous of her relationship with another man.

In 2012, Mayweather served two months in jail after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor charge.

The boxer told Couric, “Did I restrain a woman that was on drugs? Yes I did. So if they say that it’s domestic violence, then you know what, I’m guilty of restraining a person.”

“The statements by Mayweather during the Couric interview were totally and unequivocally false and defamatory,” Harris’ lawsuit states. “The true facts are Harris was not a drug-abuser or drug-addict.”

Harris, who according to the suit is seeking to become a television personality, is seeking $20 million, although a jury would have to decide any actual damages award.

The boxer was sued last year by his ex-fiancee, Shantel Jackson, who claims Mayweather beat her during their relationship and later publicly humiliated her by posting on social media a sonogram of her pregnancy and saying they broke up because she got an abortion.

Mayweather is seeking to dismiss Jackson’s lawsuit and a hearing on his motion is set for June 8.