Floyd Mayweather says people who are shocked by his friendship with Justin Bieber are simply "racial profiling" ... and need to stop making assumptions about him because he's black.

Mayweather was in Chicago promoting his upcoming rematch with Marcos Maidana when a reporter dared to ask if Justin Bieber and Johnny Manziel were really his friends ... or marketing partners.

Money artfully negotiated the Manziel question ... but when asked what about his "odd" bromance with the Biebs, Mayweather threw the race card like a it was a left hook.

Check out the clip and then decide -- is Mayweather Jr. telling the truth ... or is the reporter on to something?

*This article provided to Doghouse Boxing from our friends at http://www.tmzsports.com/

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