Mayweather Jr. Accuses HBO Announcers of Bias

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[Floyd] Mayweather, a 31-year-old former Olympic bronze medalist from Grand Rapids, told The Grand Rapids Press in an interview Friday that the network “is great,” but criticized its boxing announcers.

“They talk about Kelly Pavlik, a white fighter, like he’s the second coming. Or they go crazy over Manny Pacquiao. But I’m a black fighter,” Mayweather said. “Is it racial? Absolutely. They praise white fighters, they praise Hispanic fighters, whatever. But black fighters, they never praise.

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HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg said in a statement that the network, which has carried many of Mayweather’s fights, was disappointed to hear of the boxer’s remarks and denied his claims.

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Mayweather gave the interview on the first day of a three-day retirement celebration in downtown Grand Rapids. Boxing’s pound-for-pound king abruptly retired last month at the peak of his athletic skill and earning power.

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