Retired boxer Floyd Mayweather will personally cover all funeral costs for George Floyd, the Black man whose death has ignited protests against police brutality across the United States.
Mayweather spoke directly to Floyd’s family and promised to take care of everything for the funeral and memorial service on June 9 in Houston, according to Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather Promotions. Mayweather will also pay for services in Minnesota and other locations next week, TMZ previously reported.
“He’ll probably get mad at me for saying that, but yes, he is definitely paying for the funeral,” Ellerbe told ESPN on Monday.
The former boxing superstar has not commented publicly on the offer. He likes to be private about such gestures, according to Ellerbe.
“Floyd has done these kinds of things over the last 20 years,” he said.
Mayweather, 43, reportedly reached out to the family after Floyd’s death in an encounter with police in Minneapolis, Minn., last month.
Floyd, 46, died after he was pinned down by a white police officer who held a knee on his neck for several minutes. “Please, I can’t breathe,” he told the officer, Derek Chauvin, who has since been charged with third-degree murder.
Mayweather is widely regarded as one of the best boxers of his generation, after winning five division titles and going undefeated in 50 fights over his career.
He won his first world championship against Genaro Hernandez back in 1998. Hernandez died 13 years later and Mayweather covered his funeral expenses.
Mayweather retired in 2017 and currently lives in Las Vegas.
—With files from Reuters and The Associated Press