Mayweather Jr coming to Namibia
By John Tuerijama
CELEBRATED boxing great Floyd Mayweather Jr, who won multiple world titles during his illustrious career, is scheduled to touch down at Hosea Kutako International Airport in mid-July.
A letter addressed to TUT Investment CC president Toucy Tjijombo and the Ministry of Sports, Youth and National Service, signed by the chairperson of Union National Culture and Sports Foundation, Amy Zhou, recently confirmed the itinerary of Mayweather Jr in Africa.
The letter reads: “On behalf of Mr. Floyd Mayweather Jr. I am pleased to confirm his acceptance of the humanitarian official invitation, dated 18 August 2018 from Ms. Toucy Tjijombo, president of TUT Investment.”
It further said that Mayweather Jr has agreed to visit six African nations from 15 to 26 July. The ‘FM Africa Tour’ will include Liberia, Ghana, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Ethiopia (in time for the African Union Heads of State Summit).
Mayweather Jr is expected to arrive in Namibia on 15 July and depart to Lusaka, Zambia on 17 July from where he is scheduled to depart for Johannesburg, South Africa on 19 July. He will between 22 and 26 July visit the remaining countries on his list before jetting home to the United States of America (USA).
Tjijombo revealed to this publication on enquiry that they received confirmation on 3 July and that they will extend invitations to the highest offices in the country before the end of this week. She added that Mayweather Jr’s visit to Africa would be for philanthropic activities in aid of AIDS orphanages, schools, hospitals and kids’ cancer wards.
She further explained that a fundraising gala dinner in aid of the above will be held with a table of 10 costing N$10,000 or N$1,000 per person. “We are encouraging all Namibians, including local former and current boxing champions, to come meet and greet the world champion upon his arrival.”
She added: “We encourage the business community to come and discuss business ventures with the boxing legend, as well as propose a possible franchise of his multi-million brand.”
Reportedly one of the most lucrative pay-per-view attractions of all time, in any sport, Mayweather Jr topped the Forbes and Sports Illustrated list of the 50 highest-paid athletes of the 2012 and 2013, and the Forbes list again in both 2014 and 2015.
Forbes listed him as the highest paid athlete in the world in 2006. He founded his own boxing promotional firm, Mayweather Promotions, after leaving Bob Arum’s Top Rank.Born on 24 February the former-boxer-cum-promoter competed from 1996 to 2007 and from 2009 to 2015 where after he made a one-fight comeback in 2017 before his eventual retirement.
He held various world titles in five weight classes and the lineal championship in four weight classes (twice at welterweight) and impeccably retired with an undefeated record.
As an amateur Mayweather Jr won a bronze medal in the featherweight division at the 1996 Olympic Games, three US golden gloves championships (at light flyweight, flyweight and featherweight), and the US national championship at featherweight.
In 2016, Mayweather Jr was ranked by ESPN as the greatest boxer, pound for pound, of the last 25 years. He remains BoxRec’s number one fighter of all time, pound for pound, as well as the greatest welterweight of all time.
Known as ‘Pretty Boy Money Mayweather’ he was ranked by many sporting news and boxing websites, including The Ring, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, BoxRec, Fox Sports and Yahoo Sports as the best pound for pound boxer in the world twice in a span of ten years.
He was always referred to as the best defensive boxer in history, as well as being the most accurate puncher since the existence of CompuBox, having the highest plus-minus ratio in recorded boxing history.
The legendary former boxer has a record of 26 wins in world title fights (10 by KO), 23 wins (9KOs) in lineal title fights, 24 wins (7Kos) against former or current world titlists, 12 wins (3KOs) against former or current lineal champions, and two wins (1KO) against international boxing hall of fame inductees.
Mayweather Jr has generated approximately 23.8 million PPV buys and $1.67 billion in revenue through his career, surpassing the likes of former top PPV attractions including Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Oscar de la Hoya and Manny Pacquiao.
For further enquiries please contact Toucy at 081-1255557 and Lahja 081-1448166. The venue for the fundraising event is yet to be confirmed.