A bodyguard for the US boxer, Floyd Mayweather Jr, has been injured after a gunman opened fire on the boxer’s motorcade in the city of Atlanta.

Gregory La Rosa was shot in the leg but was released from hospital three hours later, police claimed.

Since Mayweather was believed to be in a separate vehicle, he was unhurt.

Atlanta police said the incident did not appear to have been random and that Mr. La Rosa’s vehicle had been targeted, though the reason is not very apparent.

Local police said that preliminary findings suggested the attacker had prior knowledge of the entourage or its vehicles.

The Mayweather party had left a restaurant in the early hours after attending a nightclub.

Atlanta police spokesman Donald Hannah said it was uncertain whether an incident earlier in the evening had triggered the shooting.