Report: George Zimmerman To Fight Rapper DMX

George Zimmerman

Controversy quickly began swirling yesterday at the news that George Zimmerman, who was acquitted last summer of killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, who he said he shot in self-defense, will be facing off against rapper DMX in a "celebrity" boxing match.

Celebrity boxing promoter Damon Feldman, who's organized previous bouts involving Michael Lohan, Danny Bonaduce, Jose Canseco and Rodney King, told TMZ that the 43-year-old DMX had been chosen out of more than 15,000 people who'd wanted to fight the 30-year-old Zimmerman, who'd previously told RadarOnline that the bout his idea.

Zimmerman has said his pay for the event -- the amount of which Feldman wouldn't comment on -- will go to an animal rescue charity, although Feldman said he doesn't know how much money from the bout will be given to charity.

Critics have slammed the event, saying it's immoral for Zimmerman to profit from his fame resulting from Martin's death, but Feldman told TMZ, "I have no comment about that. You know it's all business."

Perhaps DMX might be having second thoughts though, as his publicist said yesterday that the match hasn't been officially confirmed, stating, "DMX will release an official statement if and when an agreement is made."