Thursday 5 February 2015 15:38, UK
Floyd Mayweather has been denied a visa to enter Australia, due to his violent past.
The world's No 1 fighter was to embark on a two-day promotional tour only to be refused entry on the grounds of being convicted and jailed in 2012 for a domestic battery offence involving a former girlfriend.
Mayweather was due to fly in for charity-based events in Sydney in conjunction with prominent Australian publicist Max Markson but the country's Department of Immigration rejected his visa application
"The Government takes very seriously its role in protecting the Australian community from the risk of harm by non-citizens who engage in criminal conduct and/or conduct that is of serious concern," said Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator Michaelia Cash.
Mayweather, who had been expected to announce a mega-fight with Manny Pacquiao during Sunday's Super Bowl, has been on holiday in the Caribbean and was told late on Wednesday that he would not receive a visa.
Publicist Markson said he was considering appealing the decision but an online poll commissioned by change.org opposing Mayweather's visit had attracted more than 46,000 signatures on Thursday.
