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Andreas Hale
Boxing legends Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather Jr. agreed to compete in an exhibition match next spring. The event will be put on by CSI Sports/Fight Sports, but details regarding a location, date and where the fight will be broadcast have yet to be determined.
“I’ve been doing this for 30 years, and there hasn’t been a single fighter that can tarnish my legacy,” Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs) said in a news release. “You already know that if I am going to do something, it’s going to be big and it’s going to be legendary. I’m the best in the business of boxing. This exhibition will give the fans what they want.”
Mayweather, 48, retired after knocking out MMA superstar Conor McGregor in 2017. He has since competed in eight exhibition fights, with his most recent against John Gotti III in August 2024.
Though his bout with Logan Paul was the biggest of his exhibitions to this point, stepping into the ring with former heavyweight champion Tyson (59-7, 44 KOs) is certain to dwarf his previous engagements.
Tyson, 59, last competed in a professional boxing match against Jake Paul in November 2024 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It was the first time the former heavyweight champion had competed in nearly two decades. The event was a massive success, with 65 million concurrent viewers on Netflix, making it the most-streamed sporting event ever. Tyson lost a unanimous decision to Paul and was far from his devastating form during his heyday.
Tyson recently told ESPN that he had interest in competing in another fight if the right opportunity presented itself.
“When CSI came to me about stepping in the ring with Floyd Mayweather, I thought, ‘No way this happens,’ but Floyd said yes,” Tyson said. “This fight is something neither the world nor I ever thought would or could happen. However, boxing has entered a new era of the unpredictable — and this fight is as unpredictable as it gets.
“I still can’t believe Floyd wants to really do this. It’s going to be detrimental to his health, but he wants to do it, so it’s signed and it’s happening!”
Tyson weighed 228.4 pounds in his fight against Paul; Mayweather tipped the scales at 160.8 pounds against Gotti.
“Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather are two of the most compelling names and personalities, with lasting legacies, in all of sports. They are 21st-century icons,” said Richard and Craig Miele, co-founders of CSI Sports/Fight Sports. “Tyson vs. Mayweather will break every broadcast, streaming and economic record set by Mike Tyson in 2024. We are planning a robust promotional campaign complete with weekly premium storytelling and worldwide marketing reach. The event itself will be in a world-class venue and be presented to a global audience with new in-ring technology elements that will reshape how boxing is presented, and scoring is achieved, for years to come.”
Details regarding the number of rounds, weight and more will be revealed at a later date.