Floyd Mayweather to Pay for George Floyd's Funeral

Boxer makes offer to Floyd's family, they accept
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Jun 2, 2020 2:44 AM CDT
Floyd Mayweather Will Pay for George Floyd's Funeral
In this Dec. 29, 2018, file photo, Floyd Mayweather Jr. speaks during a news conference in Tokyo.   (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)

Former boxing champion Floyd Mayweather has offered to pay for George Floyd’s funeral and memorial services, and the family has accepted the offer, the AP reports. Mayweather personally has been in touch with the family, according to Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions. He will handle costs for the funeral on June 9 in Floyd’s hometown of Houston, as well as other expenses. Floyd, a black man, died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck while Floyd was handcuffed and saying that he couldn’t breathe. His death sparked ongoing protests across the US and abroad. TMZ originally reported Mayweather’s offer, and said he will also pay for services in Minnesota and North Carolina.

Mayweather, who lives in Las Vegas, has not met the Floyd family. “He’ll probably get mad at me for saying that, but yes, he is definitely paying for the funeral,” Ellerbe told ESPN.com on Monday. Mayweather, who retired undefeated after 50 fights, winning five division titles, also paid for the funeral of an opponent. Mayweather won his first world championship when he stopped Genaro Hernandez for the WBC super featherweight title in 1998. Hernandez died 13 years later of cancer, and Mayweather handled funeral expenses. Mayweather is considered one of the best boxers of his generation. Among the champion boxers he defeated before retiring in 2017, are Manny Pacquiao, Canelo Alvarez, Oscar de la Hoya, and Miguel Cotto.

(More Floyd Mayweather stories.)

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