Facing a barrage of lawsuits and financial challenges, Floyd Mayweather’s comeback career appeared dead even before it took off. The recent case involving CSI Sports, which sought a halt to Mayweather’s exhibition against Mike Zambidis in Greece for breach of contract, amplified those concerns.

Yet, the latest development suggests the tide may finally be turning for the unbeaten former champion. Reportedly, a federal court denied CSI’s request for a temporary restraining order to stop Floyd Mayweather vs. Mike Zambidis, ruling that the promotion had failed to show that the event would cause “irreparable harm” to its interests.

In a detailed report shared by ESPN, Judge Vernon S. Broderick noted that “any reputational damage to CSI does not establish irreparable harm.”

Given the complexity surrounding the case, the precise details of the court’s decision are difficult to pin down. However, as it has been observed frequently in contract law, if “harm” can be fully compensated later with a specific dollar, then it generally does not qualify as “irreparable” under the standard required for a temporary restraining order.

CSI had filed the case last month, stating that Floyd Mayweather’s June 27 face-off against Zambidis, a former kickboxing champion, would result in lasting damage, including a potential dent in brand reputation and losses on financial investments and its business model.

The promotion had been instrumental in setting up Mayweather’s exhibition fight against Mike Tyson, followed by the much-anticipated professional rematch with Manny Pacquiao. To that end, CSI Sports reportedly paid an advance of $4.65 million to Mayweather to secure exclusive rights.

In the meantime, they argued, the former world champion instead secured separate deals, which include the Zambidis exhibition and a multi-million-dollar offer to stream the Pacquiao rematch on Netflix. While CSI Sports came to terms with the Netflix deal, the Zambidis fight, however, remained the primary point of contention.

With just days remaining before Mayweather fought Zambidis, CSI Sports sought an injunction to stop the fight. While Judge Broderick initially heard the oral arguments on June 24, the next day, promoters of the Zambidis exhibition reportedly announced that the event has been postponed. Against that backdrop, the federal court’s latest decision is a significant step toward the bout taking place in the near future.

Reflecting on the ruling, Mayweather’s attorney David Jonelis’ written statement to ESPN read, “While we don’t typically comment on pending legal matters, this particular case is remarkable insofar as CSI and its counsel used litigation as a bully tactic to attempt to prevent Mr. Mayweather from earning a living. We are of course thrilled that our judge’s decision allows Mr. Mayweather’s fight with Mr. Zambidis to proceed without restraint.”

What lies ahead for Floyd Mayweather?

Despite the setback, the opposition remains firm in its stand. While they lost the request to prevent the Zambidis from taking place, in a written statement shared with ESPN, CSI’s legal team expressed optimism they will ultimately win the case.

In that context, it’s too early to predict the next date Mayweather and Zambidis will settle on for their exhibition match. Meanwhile, the postponement gives the former world champion enough time to prepare for the challenge ahead.

Reports indicate Mayweather could face Mike Tyson in late September. The duo were supposed to meet in April, with their bout taking place at a venue in Congo. However, the fight had to be postponed after Tyson suffered a hand injury. With September 26 emerging as the tentative date, Mayweather has a work cut out for him.

Yet, it’s hard to deny the repercussions of the lawsuit have had an impact on Mayweather’s comeback plans. Sharing their decision to postpone Mayweather vs. Pacquiao II, Jas Mathur, CEO of Manny Pacquiao Promotions, wrote that “a volatile mix of federal lawsuits, scheduling overbooks, and financial gridlock completely surrounding the Mayweather camp” forced them to take that decision.

Also, the CSI case isn’t the only legal challenge Floyd Mayweather and his team currently face. He is dealing with two felony charges, which include alleged theft and intent to defraud by passing a bad check. Reportedly, he faces a potential 20-year sentence alongside a $200,000 fine.

His latest woes follow the $7.3 million tax lien filed by the IRS, which later notified him about a potential passport revocation.

Under these circumstances, when his reputation has taken a visible hit, the federal court’s decision is a major boost for Floyd Mayweather, given he can proceed with his fight calendar.

But as the previous months have shown, as one entity after another files lawsuits against Mayweather, questions will continue to linger, with many still questioning whether the boxing legend is genuinely emerging from his legal battles.