Authorities are investigating a fire that engulfed a vehicle belonging to Floyd Mayweather Jr outside a posh Birmingham hotel as an arson attack.
West Midlands police said no one was injured following the blaze at 3.30am on Sunday morning outside the Park Regis hotel on Broad Street.
The incident occurred hours after Mayweather made an appearance at Birmingham’s International Convention Centre on Saturday night as part of an ongoing UK tour, where fans paid up to £400 for a meet-and-greet that included the opportunity to take an individual photograph with the retired five-division champion.
“Offenders smashed the window of the vehicle, a people carrier, before pouring accelerant inside and setting it alight,” a West Midlands police spokesperson said in a statement to the Guardian. “Enquiries into the fire, which caused extensive damage to the vehicle belonging to a guest, are currently on-going and police are examining CCTV from the area.”
“Enquiries are currently on-going as to why this vehicle was targeted,” said police, who confirmed the van was a part of Mayweather’s entourage.
Images of the vehicle’s charred remains were disseminated on social media in the aftermath of the fire.
Messages to Mayweather’s manager and publicist requesting comment were not immediately returned.
The boxer, who turned 40 last month, retired undefeated after a unanimous-decision victory over Andre Berto in September 2015. Lately, he’s floated the idea of a comeback fight against MMA star Conor McGregor, a one-off event under boxing rules as assuredly lucrative as it would be one-sided.
“If I was (McGregor) and I was smart, before I lose again in the UFC, I’d let Floyd Mayweather kick my ass for a lot of money,” Mayweather said on Saturday. “It makes business sense.”
Mayweather was due to continue his UK tour on Monday night in London at Indigo at the O2 Arena.
