Tyson, who will be 59 at the time of the fight, last stepped into the ring in November 2024. He faced Jake Paul at AT&T; Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in a bout that drew 108 million viewers worldwide. The fight, which had been postponed once due to an ulcer, ended in a lopsided unanimous decision loss for Tyson and was widely criticized as uneventful.
Mayweather, who will be 48, retired from professional boxing in 2017 with an undefeated record of 50-0. His last professional fight against Conor McGregor was one of the biggest pay-per-view events in history. Since then, he's kept active through exhibitions, with his latest being against John Gotti III in August 2024.
The announcement of this matchup has sparked concern among fans. Some have expressed worry about Tyson's well-being, with comments ranging from "Mike Tyson is gonna die in there" to "Who the f*** watched Mike Tyson look half dead fighting Jake Paul and thought this was a good idea??"
Despite these concerns, both fighters seem eager to move forward with the bout. Tyson stated:
"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!"
Mayweather, known for his confidence, had this to say:
"I've been doing this for 30 years and there hasn't been a single fighter that can tarnish my legacy. 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."
The fight will be promoted by CSI Sports and Fight Sports. The exact date and venue have not yet been confirmed. As more details emerge, this unusual matchup between two boxing legends will continue to be a hot topic of discussion in the sports world.