Floyd Mayweather gives back to his fans as he hosts session in Moscow... and breaks a Guinness World Record in the process

Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr has decided to give back to his fans in his retirement, and on Friday he invited hundreds of boxing fans to attend an open training session in Moscow.

The 38-year-old allowed some youngsters to join him in the ring at a local concert hall as he demonstrated his technique to the packed audience in the Russian capital, with the boxing fans replicating his movements.

The event, organised by Boxing Academy in association with Russian Timber Group and State Corporation Rostec, broke a Guinness World Record for the amount of people who took part in the masterclass lesson; it was attended by 791 people and roughly 3,000 spectators were present on the podium. 

Retired US boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr demonstrates his technique at his boxing event in Moscow

The undefeated former champion raises an arm to greet his audience at the open training session

The 38-year-old invited hundreds of boxing fans to attend, and allowed youngsters to join him in the ring

Official Guinness World Records judge Sofia Greenacre was on hand to note down the new record and hand Mayweather his award; the previous record was set in 2014, in London, but only had a mere 508 participants.

The undefeated former champion, who won all 49 of his fights, with 26 by KO, talked to the audience through a hand-free microphone, wearing a black T-shirt emblazoned with his famous lifestyle brand slogan, 'The Money Team, and red shorts.

However, the affair only took place after the polarising athlete courted controversy once again on Thursday night. 

Mayweather shared a photo on Instagram revealing he had received a very rare and one-of-a-kind Christmas present - an exotic baby tiger from India, given to him in Moscow by Russian friends.

The announcement was immediately met with outrage and shock on social media - and from animal rights organisation, PETA.

PETA's Senior Vice President Lisa Lange said in a statement released to MailOnline: 'Floyd Mayweather can have anything he wants, and what he should want is an end to the wild-animal trade, not to be a facilitator of it.

Mayweather, who won all 49 of his fights, with 26 by KO, talks to the audience, wearing a black T-shirt

Russian boxing fans repeat Mayweather's movements at the boxing event in Russia's capital

'Tigers do poorly as 'pets' – they belong in their native habitats, not in a cage in a celebrity's home as a 'show-off' prop, 100 percent certain to be discarded to a roadside zoo or a cheap circus or to meet some other tawdry end after they become too strong to handle and show a will of their own. 

'Wild animals kept as amusements never have a fighting chance of a natural life. 

'Having been torn away from their mothers, many end up violently beaten by trainers and all are deprived of what's natural, normal and important to them. 

'PETA appeals to Floyd Mayweather to be a real champ for animals and allow his 'Christmas present' to be moved to a wildlife sanctuary.'

American model Chrissy Teigen also commented on having tiger's on pets, writing on Twitter; 'I'm okay with people having pet tigers because it increases their chances of being eaten by a tiger.'

Mayweather shared a photo on Thursday revealing he had received a rare Indian tiger as a Christmas gift