Jamie Foxx Defends National Anthem Performance Before Mayweather-Pacquiao Fight (Video)

“Some of it was a little off, but in the arena it killed,” the performer tells Ellen DeGeneres

Michael Rozman/Warner Bros.

Jamie Foxx defended his rendition of the National Anthem — which was pummeled on social media before the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight on Saturday — during an appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” on Tuesday.

The actor who won an Oscar for his portrayal of Ray Charles said his “inner ears” betrayed him, but stood by the performance.

“But what did happen in the ring, my ears came out. My inner ears,” Foxx explained. “My inner ears came out, and I’m singing with an organ so I can’t hear what the organ is doing with the big crowd. So some of it was a little off, but I think in the arena, it killed. The telecast was a little off. But ya know, we still love America.”

Twitter users joked that “the real fight was between Jamie Foxx and the national anthem,” and that “Roseanne is smiling after that Jamie Foxx performance.”

As for the soulful twist Foxx infused with his delivery of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” Foxx joked that “anytime a black person sings that national anthem you know we gotta, ‘Oh sayyyyyyy can you-ou-ou-ou-ou.’”

Watch the video below.

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