ONE of the greatest boxers of all time delighted fans during a visit to Bradford.

World champion Floyd Mayweather drew the crowds as he made an early-hours visit to a local restaurant yesterday.

Police had to close the road when the American star arrived at Mr T's in Great Horton Road at around 3.30am, after finishing a show at Liverpool's Echo Arena on Friday night.

In recent days, he has hit international headlines after suggesting he could come out of retirement to fight UFC icon Conor McGregor.

He gave interviews to camera crews inside the Bradford restaurant, claiming McGregor was "scared" of the challenge.

He said: "Hopefully Conor McGregor is watching and he's scared. Conor McGregor is scared to fight everybody. I have been trying to make him fight. I came out of retirement just to fight Conor McGregor."

Proud business owner Tauseef Malik, known as Mr T, said Mayweather had a friend in Bradford, so had decided to make the trip to the city.

He said: "He was in Liverpool the night before, that's why he came down.

"He came in, spoke to all the staff, ordered food for him and his team and had a meal. There's a video where he said, 'This is one of the best restaurants I have ever been to in the UK.'

"He loved the food, he loved the environment. He said Bradford was welcoming and said he loved the way Mr T's had given him hospitality and the VIP service."

Mr Malik said they had found out beforehand that Mayweather was planning to visit the restaurant, so they baked him a belated boxing-themed birthday cake to mark his 40th birthday, which was on February 24.

He said: "There were lots of people taking pictures. What he did was he had the cake near the window. He cut the cake in front of his fans and all of the staff and everything."

Mr Malik said they hadn't known what time Mayweather was going to show up, so fans had been waiting outside for around three and a half hours.

He said: "As soon as he arrived the fans went crazy and jumped at his car. The security had to manage it. 

"Everyone started shouting TMT, [Mayweather's lifestyle brand] The Money Team. Then they started shouting Bradford, Mr T's, everything."

Mr Malik said he now hoped Mayweather would buy a stake in the Bradford business, saying he had approached the boxer about investing in the brand so he could set up new restaurants.

He said: "I was on the phone to his manager. We're still in talks at the moment."

Mayweather competed from 1996 to 2015. He won 15 world titles and was undefeated as a professional.

His Liverpool appearance was the last UK date of his Undefeated tour, which has also taken in Leicester, Stoke-on-Trent, Birmingham, Gateshead and London.