Tokyo 2020 Olympics: Mayweather To Support China Boxing Team

23rd July 2019

The sport was once banned in China and it took until Athens 2004 for Zou Shiming to win the country's first Olympic medal, a light flyweight bronze

Floyd Mayweather Jr. posing during a weigh-in with MMA figher Connor McGregor (out pictured) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr said on November 5, 2018 he will come out of retirement to fight a Japanese kickboxer half his age, Tenshin Nasukawa, on New Year's Eve in Saitama. PHOTO/AFP
Floyd Mayweather Jr. posing during a weigh-in with MMA figher Connor McGregor (out pictured) at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Boxing superstar Floyd Mayweather Jr said on November 5, 2018 he will come out of retirement to fight a Japanese kickboxer half his age, Tenshin Nasukawa, on New Year's Eve in Saitama. PHOTO/AFP
SUMMARY
  • The federation said American legend Mayweather had pledged to "go all-out to use his influence and resources to support the Chinese boxing project in achieving excellent results at the Tokyo Olympics."
  • Mayweather made no mention of the appointment on his social media accounts, and the Chinese announcement gave no further details of his role
  • The sport was once banned in China and it took until Athens 2004 for Zou Shiming to win the country's first Olympic medal, a light flyweight bronze

SHANGHAI, China- Retired superstar Floyd Mayweather has been named "special advisor" to China's boxing team as they look to improve their medal count at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Chinese Boxing Federation said.

The federation said American legend Mayweather had pledged to "go all-out to use his influence and resources to support the Chinese boxing project in achieving excellent results at the Tokyo Olympics."

It made the announcement in a post dated Sunday on its official account on Chinese social media platform WeChat.

READ ALSO: Mayweather Rules Out Possible Rematch With Pacquiao

Mayweather made no mention of the appointment on his social media accounts, and the Chinese announcement gave no further details of his role. 

Boxing legend Mayweather had a perfect 50-0 record in the ring with 27 knockouts. He won world titles in five different weight divisions and was considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the sport.

The sport was once banned in China and it took until Athens 2004 for Zou Shiming to win the country's first Olympic medal, a light flyweight bronze.

Zou went on to claim gold at the next two games and there have been further successes since, especially after the introduction of women's boxing at London 2012.