Outspoken champion boxer Floyd Mayweather apologized Monday for comments he reportedly posted online about rival Oscar De La Hoya's rehab for drug and alcohol addiction.
After Mayweather won his highly anticipated bout against Mexican fighter Canelo Alvarez Saturday night, a meme surfaced on the boxer's Instagram that showed a photo of a distraught-looking De La Hoya.
"Meanwhile in rehab" was scrawled across the top of the picture, and "Oscar: I gave Canelo the wrong blueprint I was high" was imprinted across the bottom.
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The photo was meant to mock De La Hoya, who announced earlier this month that he was entering a rehab facility for a drug and alcohol addiction. De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions promotes Alvarez and helped put together Saturday's matchup.
Mayweather, who beat De La Hoya in 2007 but had been at odds with him in recent years, posted a statement to his Instagram account Monday apologizing for the meme.
"It's unfortunate that a stupid picture was posted to my Instagram account earlier today that was not posted by me or authorized by me to post," Mayweather wrote. "As I clearly stated during my fight week and again in the post-fight press conference, I completely support Oscar De La Hoya and his family during this difficult time in his life. I stand by him unconditionally and would never personally disrespect him or anyone else who struggles with addiction."
De La Hoya announced his planned rehab stint earlier this month.
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"I will not be at the fight this Saturday to cheer Canelo to victory since I have voluntarily admitted myself into a treatment facility," De La Hoya said in a statement. "I explained this to Canelo and he understood that my health and long term recovery from my disease must come first."
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