A Weston boxing fan had a ‘once-in-a-lifetime experience’ after his hero Floyd Mayweather handed him $15,000 ring-side tickets to his Las Vegas fight with mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor.
Plumber Jason Wilson, aged 35, first met the US boxing champion last year in Las Vegas.
Mayweather’s bouncer noticed Jason’s tattoo – which he had done in Burnham in tribute to the boxer – and encouraged the five-weight world champion to take a look for himself.
Jason told the Mercury: “We crossed paths again in Bristol, when I asked him to sign my tattoo, which I later had inked on.
“It was then that he invited me to watch him in Las Vegas if he were to fight Conor McGregor.
“At the time I didn’t really know what to think of it. His PR guy, JP, gave me his number and said he would be in touch and that was that.”
As the fight approached Jason received a phone call from JP inviting him out to Sin City.
Jason and his wife Helen purchased flights worth £1,300 and flew out to America in the hope Mayweather would deliver on his promise.
Jason said: “When we got to Vegas I had a phone call from JP. Mayweather wanted us to come to watch him in training. I was so excited. We jumped in a taxi and watched him train.”
The couple watched ‘Money’ prepare for his big match by pummelling the bags before practicing with his sparring partners.
On August 26, just two hours before the fight was due to start, Jason and Helen were summoned to Palms Casino Resort where two tickets had been set aside for them, worth $7,500 each.
Jason said: “It was unbelievable, we were sat just 12 rows from the ring in $15,000 seats.
“The atmosphere was incredible, especially with the Irish there supporting McGregor, it was something else.”
The American won the match, stopping Irishman McGregor in the 10th round to win by technical knockout.
Mayweather retired from the sport with an undefeated streak of 50 victories to no defeats.
Jason said: “McGregor never stood a chance, I went to Vegas believing Mayweather would win from the start, and he did.
“It is nice that boxers really do care about their fans and go that extra step for them.”
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