TheCable

Floyd Mayweather, the retired American boxer, says he plans to build “a boxing camp” in Nigeria to help the development of the sport in the country.

The former multi-weight champion spoke at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday.

Mayweather visited Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation and presidential hopeful of the All Progressives Congress (APC), at his Abuja residence on Monday.

Mayweather said Amaechi is always concerned about empowering the youths, hence his support is needed to actualise his goal of setting up the boxing academy.

In response, Amaechi told the boxing great that he believes the federal government will support any initiative to harness more talents in the country, which will also create jobs.

The 45-year-old boxing promoter is in Nigeria to promote his exhibition match against Don Moore billed for Dubai on May 14.

Mayweather said he had wanted to visit Nigeria for a while but “things did not go as expected”.

He added that he would return to the country in the future “to train and continue to build my legacy”.

“Before I go to Dubai, I couldn’t choose a better place than Nigeria. I look forward to coming back to Nigeria to train and continue to build my legacy, and we also want to help build a boxing camp for the young youth and children coming up. With the help of Keane [Anis], one of my closest buddies, who is from Nigeria,” he said.

“It’s all about giving back. A while back, I knew we were supposed to come to Nigeria, but things did not go as expected, I’m here now, and I’m proud.

“Being in Africa and being able to travel around the continent. I’ve been to Johannesburg, Morrocco, Egypt and now Nigeria. And, hopefully, before I’m gone, I get to see every country in Africa. Such a beautiful place. Africans worldwide show me love, and there’s nothing like African love.”

The exhibition bout against Moore will be an eight-round fight at the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah Helipad in Dubai.

Mayweather retired from professional boxing in 2017 with an undefeated multi-weight record, winning fifteen major world championships from super featherweight to light-middleweight category.

Moore was also undefeated in his 17-year career as a professional boxer, winning 18 fights and one draw.