Both fighters can expect a handsome payday. Picture: Ethan Miller Source: Getty Images

The fight is shaping up to be the biggest pay-per-view sporting event in recent history with the two boxers expected to divide around $300m.

In order to capitalise on their return, both of the boxers’ promotional outfits have joined forces with Showtime Networks and HBO to file a law suit against websites planning to illegally stream the fight.

The pay networks launched an attack in the Californian federal court against boxinghd.net, sportship.org and several other anonymous defendants offering a free stream of the fight.

Court papers clearly state there “are no authorised online streams of the coverage”, which means the websites in question are infringing on HBO/Showtime’s copyright.

The documents also accuse the defendants of promoting the illegal streams of the fight with advertising on the sites.

Since the legal action both websites have been shut down.

The screen capture of boxinghd.net used in the legal documents. Source: Supplied

However, it is not just illegal streaming sites that have come into the crosshair of the fights promoters.

On the night of the fight, private investigators will attempt to locate bars showing the fight without having paid the correct licensing fees.

The copyright stipulates establishments screening the fight need to hold a specific licence in order the show the fight in public.

The company selling the rights to show Saturday’s fight, G&G Boxing, said the cost of the event “is determined by the occupancy of your establishment among other factors”.

In order to escape the high costs, a bar owner from south-eastern Pennsylvania, has devised a plan to show the fight without the expensive overheads.

He plans on having his bar shut to the public, while still screening the fight.

“We’re going to have our regulars in and we’re all going to watch the fight,” he told the Guardian.

It might just be easier to cough up the money for the PPV. Source: AFP

However, the move is risky business with G&G Boxing claiming it is committed to protecting its customers and prosecuting commercial signal piracy to the fullest extent of the law.

“Unauthorised commercial exhibition of the events we license will subject violators to civil liability for actual and statutory damages in excess of $100,000.00, injunctive relief, legal costs and attorneys’ fees, as well as other severe criminal and civil penalties as provided for by federal copyright and state and federal telecommunications laws,” G&G wrote.

Whether or not these actions will stop all illegal screens of the fight is yet to be determined, although it’s a step in the right direction.