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LAS VEGAS. — Floyd Mayweather has hit back at rap music star 50 Cent over a video taunt about the boxer’s reading skills.
The 37-year-old American on Wednesday responded to 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, over an Instagram posting in which the rapper vows to donate $750 000 to charity if Mayweather can read one page of a Harry Potter novel without stumbling.

“Making fun of a person because they can’t read is not funny. It’s tragic,” Mayweather said.

“If I couldn’t read, it would make my accomplishments that much more impressive.  The circus is for clowns. My job is to focus on boxing. I could not care less.”

Mayweather posted a photo on Twitter of two recent pay cheques with the message: “Read this $72,276,000.00. God bless.”

Mayweather is scheduled to fight Marcos Maidana in a rematch on September 13 to defend his WBC and WBA welterweight titles and his WBC light-middleweight belt.

The champion, whose professional record stands at 46-0, including 26 knock-outs, beat Maidana (35-4; 31) on a majority decision in May.

The reading issue erupted after a radio station released a tape of Mayweather struggling to read station promotions, known as drops.

“I don’t get paid to read radio drops. I would be perfect at reading if it was how I had to feed my family,” Mayweather said.

“I could have been up 24 hours. I could have just landed in New York City. People find ways to break people down. I’m going strong. I’m happy.”

Mayweather noted many instances where he has been forced to read copy off teleprompters, much the way television news show hosts do.

“I’m not a news anchor. Never claimed to be. But I didn’t get where I am not being able to read and write and do arithmetic,” Mayweather said.

“Reading does not define my place in boxing history. Will God not let me into heaven if I didn’t read like a news anchor? Will it change my legacy in boxing if I can’t read?”

Mayweather said the reading taunt from someone he once counted as a friend had not been a distraction as he prepares to defend his unbeaten record, moving nearer the 49-0 career mark of former heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano. — AFP.