Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather announce exhibition | 'It's going to be detrimental to his health'
Mike Tyson will turn 60 next year, Floyd Mayweather is 48, both are far apart in weight, but the former champions intend to meet in an exhibition bout next year; "I still can't believe Floyd wants to really do this. It's going to be detrimental to his health, but he wants to," Tyson said
Friday 5 September 2025 14:03, UK
Former world champions Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather intend to meet in the ring in 2026.
Boxing production company CSI Sports announced the bout between Tyson, who will turn 60 next year, and Mayweather, 48, but did not give a venue or any details of a date, beyond saying it would take place in the spring.
Former world heavyweight champion Tyson, who lost on points to Jake Paul in an eight-round bout in November 2024, said: "This fight is something neither the world nor I ever thought would or could happen.
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"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 won world titles across five different weights, going unbeaten during his 50-fight career which ended with a victory over MMA star Conor McGregor in 2017.
He said: "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."
'Ego gets the better of Tyson'
Sky Sports' Johnny Nelson says...
"There's that disdain between them, and it's real. I think ego's going to get the better of Mike rather than common sense.
"Look at the size difference between them, in their day Mike Tyson would eat him alive. But now he's 59 years old, that style suits a young man, it doesn't suit an old man. Even though Floyd's 48, he'll still have more movement and pace than Mike.
"This guy was unbeaten as a fighter. He still physically has ringcraft. He can still physically move about the ring and do what he has to do.
"You've got to remember Mike Tyson is 59 years old. You've got to remember Floyd Mayweather is still hitting the bag in the gym, he's still moving around, even though he's 48 years old.
"No matter how disgusting you think this fight is, no matter what complaints you have about it, you're going to buy into it because you're going to see an argument played out in real life in real time."
