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| Floyd Mayweather Jr has been very vocal about his support of Israel |
Footage of former American five-division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr went viral on Tuesday after he found himself at the centre of an altercation while shopping at a jewellery store in Hatton Garden, Central London.
Multiple clips circulated online, sparking various theories about what transpired, but the boxing icon has spoken out after the footage of him appearing to be confronted by an angry mob.
The 47-year-old was shopping in London's jewellery quarter when he got into a heated exchange with several people on the street.
The video, which was posted on X on Tuesday night, showed Mayweather's security stepping in and bundling him into the back of a blacked-out 4x4 before he was driven away.
Mayweather, who infamously fought Conor McGregor in a mega-money exhibition bout in Las Vegas back in 2017, has now responded to the incident on Instagram, denying any physical altercation.
“Let me set the record straight... there's no truth to the rumours going around,” Mayweather's statement began.
“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.
“I was in the UK for a quick 48-hour stop to do some shopping, and unfortunately, people let jealousy and negativity fuel false stories. I'm perfectly fine, and there's really nothing more to it.”
According to The Sun, the altercation began when an individual inside the store approached Mayweather and asked if he supported Israel. Mayweather, who has previously voiced support for the Jewish state amidst its ongoing conflict with the terrorist group Hamas, reportedly responded, “Proud to support the Jews.”
This response allegedly provoked one individual, leading to what an eyewitness described as a physical confrontation. “Someone took a swing at him because of that. It looked very targeted,” the eyewitness reported. “He was bundled out of the shop, but by then, there were multiple people trying to hit him, and pushing his security guards.”
The eyewitness continued: “Floyd took a few hits during it, but his security was trying to push people back. I couldn’t really see Floyd trying to throw any punches back. His guards were just trying to get distance between him and them.
“They got him into a car and tapped the roof two times, then it sped off. Clearly, they were desperate to get him out of there. It was over within two minutes.”
When the conflict with Hamas first began after October 7 last year, Mayweather pledged his allegiance to Israel on social media, insisting he "stands with" the country and flew there to show his support.
He wrote: “I stand with Israel against the Hamas terrorists. Hamas do not represent the people of Palestine but are a terrorist group that are attacking innocent lives!
“I stand for all humans and wish for the safe return of all Americans and Israelis and any human that were kidnapped as hostages during these horrific war crimes.
“This is not a time for politics. This is a time for safety first and foremost.
“God Bless America. God Bless Israel. God Bless Human Kind!”
- Online Editors
