Will Smith has said boxer Floyd Mayweather called to check up on him every day for 10 days straight after he slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars.

The actor struck the comedian at the ceremony back in March after he made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith. Following a number of apologies, Smith resigned from the Academy and was later banned from attending all Academy events for 10 years.

• READ MORE: The story of Slapgate: Will Smith and Chris Rock’s relationship through the years

Speaking at a private screening of his upcoming film Emancipation at The London Hotel, Smith revealed Mayweather was one of his closest supporters following the incident.

“I want to say something also about Floyd,” Smith says in a video obtained by TMZ. “So, we’ve met each other, we’ve seen each other around, but we weren’t like, friends. And, the day after the Oscars, for 10 days he called me every day.

“And, he was like, ‘Ay, you know you the champ, right? You good? You know you the champ, right? I want you to hear my voice say it.’

“Every day he called me and… that’s my dude forever right there.”

Emancipation is a historical action thriller directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day), which follows an enslaved man named Peter (Smith) who escapes from a Louisiana plantation. The film is set to be released on Apple TV+ on December 9.

Back in July, Smith posted an apology video to address questions surrounding the Oscars incident.

“I’ve reached out to Chris [Rock] and the message that came back is he’s not ready to talk and when he is, he will reach out,” Smith said.

He added: “I will say to you, Chris. I apologise to you. My behaviour was unacceptable and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.”

Rock has made numerous references to the incident in his stand-up shows, including a gig with Dave Chappelle.