George Floyd: boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jnr to cover the family’s funeral costs
- Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe confirms the undefeated boxer is ‘definitely paying for the funeral’
- George Floyd’s family has accepted the offer with the funeral scheduled for June 9
Boxing great Floyd Mayweather has offered to cover the funeral expenses for George Floyd, the 46-year-old African-American man whose death while in police custody in Minneapolis prompted protests across the United States.
The former five-division world champion’s promotional company, Mayweather Productions, confirmed on Twitter that he had made the offer, and several local media reports have said the family have accepted.
Mayweather Productions and the boxer’s agency have yet to respond to a request for comment. However, it has been confirmed that Floyd’s family has accepted the offer.
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.
Hollywood Unlocked originally reported Mayweather’s offer with TMZ saying he will also pay for services in Minnesota and North Carolina.
“He’ll probably get mad at me for saying that, but yes, he is definitely paying for the funeral,” Ellerbe told ESPN on Monday.
Las Vegas-based Mayweather has not met the Floyd family in person.
Mayweather, who retired undefeated after 50 fights, winning five division titles, also paid for the funeral of a previous 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.
Floyd, a black man, died May 25 after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee into Floyd’s neck while he was in handcuffs and repeatedly saying that he couldn’t breathe. His death sparked protests in Minneapolis and around the country, some of which became violent.
The incident has prompted an outcry across the US and abroad, with numerous pro athletes and leagues speaking out, including NBA great Michael Jordan.
