Floyd Mayweather Jr. will face Mike Tyson in an exhibition bout in 2026.
CSI Sports announced on Thursday that the two Hall of Famers will go head to head, with full details still to be confirmed.
Mayweather has regularly competed in exhibitions following his retirement from an undefeated professional career that saw him win world titles in five different weight classes.
Tyson was beaten by influencer Jake Paul in an unanimous decision in November last year.
At his peak, Tyson was arguably the most feared heavyweight of all time. However, his decision to go back into the ring with Mayweather at the age of 59 will likely attract plenty of criticism, with the fight marking another bizarre episode in an often controversial career.
Mayweather: It’s going to be legendary
Mayweather was typically brash as both he and Tyson talked up the fight as a sporting event for the world to behold.
“You already know that if I am going to do something, it’s going to be big and it’s going to be legendary,” said Mayweather.
“I’m the best in the business of boxing. This exhibition will give the fans what they want.”
Tyson added: “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.”
Mayweather can at least be considered for partially responsible for heralding a new era of high-profile exhibition fights involving athletes and celebrities from a range of different arenas. The 48-year-old stopped UFC star Conor McGregor in the 10th round of his final fight of his professional career in 2017.
He has fought eight times in exhibitions since, though only four of those bouts were scored.
This clash of two all-time greats will undoubtedly attract plenty of attention, but the sight of Mayweather taking on a man of Tyson’s age is likely to make for an uneasy spectacle. It is debatable at best whether true boxing fans actually want to witness such a contest, which many will believe will ultimately only harm the sport.
