World heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis was awarded more than $8 million in damages on Thursday after a US District Court found he had been defrauded by his former promoter and manager Panos Eliades.
"Today a New York jury ruled that my former promoter and manager, Mr Panos Eliades, committed fraud upon me and is also guilty of racketeering," said Lewis in a statement issued by his co-promoter Main Events.
"I should like to thank the US jury for finding Mr Eliades liable for more than $8 million as a result of his misconduct.
"In detail, the court ruled that Panix Promotions Limited/Panix of the USA, and Mr Eliades have no promotional rights to my future bouts," said Lewis.
"Furthermore, the jury decided that Panix Promotions Limited/Panix of the USA and Mr Panos Eliades have jointly and severely defrauded me in relation to the income due to me from previous bouts".
Main Events said it was also awarded more than $680,000 in damages against Eliades and his companies.
The New York jury awarded that amount as a result of the jury's finding that Eliades and his companies had engaged in fraud and breach of contract against Main Events, Lewis's co-promoter said.