Zimbabwe politician spends billions to host Mayweather at a campaign rally

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the unlikely beneficiary of the Zimbabwe political campaigns. Imago

SPORTS GIST Zimbabwe politician spends billions to host Mayweather at a campaign rally

Moses King 13:51 - 14.07.2023

FightHype estimates that the Zimbabwean politician spent over $1m on the trip to Harare as Mayweather touched town in his customised private jet – a Gulfstream G650.

It's political campaign time in Zimbabwe, and former world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather is an unlikely beneficiary.

Mayweather has reportedly been paid up to $1m (about Shs3.6bn) to travel to Zimbabwe aboard his private jet. 

The retired boxer was invited by Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa's closest ally, gold magnate Scott Sakupwanya, battling to recapture a parliamentary seat from the opposition.

According to Zimlive, Mayweather was invited to woo youth voters ahead of the general elections set for August, in which Mnangagwa and Sakupwanya are both candidates.

"He was received at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by dignitaries from Mnangagwa's Zanu PF party," Zimlive the report added.

"Including the gold dealer Scott Sakupwanya who hopes to draw on the retired boxer's star power to win the race for MP in Tafara Mabvuku, a poor neighbourhood in Harare."

Mayweather was treated to an arousing welcome by the ruling party at their headquarters, having landed in the country in a private jet.

Mayweather was welcomed like a king in Harare. Twitter/ZimDaily

FightHype estimates that the Zimbabwean politician spent over $1m on the trip to Harare as Mayweather touched town in his customised private jet – a Gulfstream G650.

"Since retiring in 2017, Mayweather has kept the money flowing by engaging in exhibition fights around the world for a minimum of US$500,000," FightHype states.

Mayweather attended the political rally and thrilled the enormous crowd with a public workout session which included punching and jumping rope. He also watched exhibition matches with Zimbabwe's young boxers. 

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