UFC president Dana White has called Floyd Mayweather Jnr a "racist" for his comments about New York Knicks basketball player Jeremy Lin.

Mayweather claimed on Twitter that Lin, who has broken a number of records during his breakthrough season, is only getting praised 'because he is an Asian'.

The 34-year-old also said that African Americans "do what he does every night" and "don't get the same praise".

However, White has now taken Mayweather to task over his remarks.

"First of all what I think he said is racist," the 42-year-old told Fuel TV. "He's made a couple of racist comments and yes, Floyd, you're racist with the stuff that you said.

"Jeremy Lin gets all this credit because he's an Asian player in the NBA that African Americans never get? Really, Kobe Bryant never gets any praise? Michael Jordan never got any praise? Not only can [Lin] compete and make it in the NBA, but the guy's tearing it up and breaking records, you knucklehead."

White also raised issues with Mayweather's disparaging remarks regarding pound-for-pound rival Manny Pacquiao and urged him to fight the Filipino.

He added: "Second of all, the other thing [Mayweather] said was Manny Pacquiao should 'go make some sushi somewhere'. Sushi is from Japan, he's from the Philippines, dummy.

"Don't worry about what all these other guys are doing and shooting your big mouth off on Twitter, what you should worry about is getting in there and making the fight that all the boxing fans want to see and get in there and fight Manny Pacquiao."

Mayweather faces Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on May 5.