Former multi-weight world champion Floyd Mayweather is coming out of retirement this year for his first official professional fight in nearly ten years, his new promotion, CSI Sports/Fight Sports, confirmed on Friday (Saturday NZT).
However, his opponent is yet to be announced.
Before returning to the professional ring, Mayweather, 48, will face fellow boxing legend Mike Tyson in an exhibition bout, with the date and venue still to be revealed.
“I still have what it takes to set more records in the sport of boxing, from my upcoming Mike Tyson event to my next professional fight afterwards, no one will generate a bigger gate, have a larger global broadcast audience and generate more money with each event than my events,” Mayweather said in a statement on his promotion’s website.
READ ALSO: Ahmed Musa Announces Retirement From Super Eagles After 15 Years
This comeback will be Mayweather’s fourth return from retirement, following previous comebacks in 2007, 2015, and 2017, the last after his victory over UFC star Conor McGregor, which extended his record to an unbeaten 50-0.
He has, however, continued to participate in several exhibition matches since then.
Across a career spanning three decades, Mayweather defeated many of his era’s top fighters and headlined the three highest-grossing boxing bouts in history against Manny Pacquiao, Conor McGregor, and Canelo Alvarez.
At his peak, Mayweather was widely regarded as boxing’s pound-for-pound king, dominating the welterweight division for over a decade.
Despite his accolades, he has often been a controversial figure, criticized for his defensive fighting style and accused by some of avoiding dangerous opponents to preserve his unbeaten record.
Off the ring, Mayweather has faced legal issues, including serving time in prison for a domestic violence incident. Yet his supreme fitness, work ethic, athleticism, and boxing IQ earned him respect among peers and fans alike.
Mayweather’s most recent professional bout was in 2017 against McGregor, but he has stayed active in exhibitions, including a victory over John Gotti III in Mexico in August 2024, as well as bouts against reality TV stars and YouTube fighters.
