Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr., 47, has found himself in the middle of a melee with protesters in the Hatton Garden area of London.
Mayweather and members of his entourage traveled to England to go shopping and according to TMZ, the retired fighter was confronted by a mob that hurled the N-word at him as a racial slur.
In footage of the incident that went viral on Dec. 10, Mayweather can be seen in a green-coat engaging with a large crowd of people running down a street outside a jewelry store.
At one point, his security apparently prevented him from getting too involved in the scuffle as they pushed Mayweather into his vehicle and instructed him to drive away from the scene.
Following speculation online that he was hit during the brawl, the undefeated champ denied getting hit in a post shared on his Instagram page.
“Let me set the record straight … there’s no truth to the rumors going around,” Mayweather, wrote. “I wasn’t punched or touched in any way. What you’re seeing is just my security doing their job to keep things under control.”
He continued, “I was in the U.K. for a quick 48-hour stop to do some shopping, and unfortunately, people let jealousy and negativity fuel false stories. It’s perfectly fine, and there’s really nothing more to it.”
Despite Mayweather downplaying the matter, one of his representatives told TMZ that the volatile situation was ignited over the former world champion’s support for Israel’s current conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
On Oct. 7, 2023, the Palestinian militant group Hamas orchestrated an assault on southern Israel that killed over 1,100 people. In response, Israel invaded Gaza which has led to more than 44,000 deaths in the territory.
Mayweather has been an outspoken advocate for Israel, even referring to the mostly Jewish nation as a “home away from home” in an Oct. 27 post after visiting the country multiple times.
In addition, the Money Team leader recently announced the Mayweather Israel Initiative, which is committed to giving away “special birthday gifts” to orphans or parentless children in Israel over the next year.
Internet users across different platforms shared their takes on Mayweather’s eruptive outing in London. Many of the reactions centered around the polarizing Isreal-Hamas War.
Other comments focused on Mayweather’s history as a boxer. For example, one person posted, “Nobody out there wanted to see Floyd for a head-up fade. They’re too weak.”
Someone replied, “Floyd better be glad that no one had that [gun] ready. Nowadays, people don’t have a problem with making a statement. He might wanna stay neutral when it comes to some international issues.”
A like-minded individual in the New York Post’s comment section wrote, “Sometimes it’s best to keep your opinion to yourself. He doesn’t benefit by voicing his opinion.”
Yet, Hollywood Unlocked’s Instagram page, a user took notice of Mayweather’s demeanor in the viral clip, writing, “He looks scared. As he should be. He was outnumbered.”
An additional person joked, “Can’t actually get touched with a whole squad of security.”
Mayweather apparently flew to the United Kingdom with his American girlfriend, Gallienne Nabila. The 27-year-old model posted images of The Ritz London hotel and the Selfridges department store on her Instagram Story.
The couple have reportedly been in an on-again, off-again romantic relationship since 2019. After reconciling, Mayweather and Nabila were spotted together on a Paris shopping spree in 2023.
They have also been seen sitting courtside at NBA games in Los Angeles. In July Nabila posted a TikTok video of herself and Floyd playing the “15 Questions for Couples” game.
