Mike Tyson vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is happening. What we know so far
Maybe Mike Tyson should pick on someone his own size.
Maybe Floyd Mayweather Jr. should pick on someone his own age.
Maybe both men should stay retired.
Or maybe we should just kick back and enjoy an unexpected but extremely intriguing contest between two all-time great boxers from different eras (and weight classes).
Might as well take the last option because Tyson vs. Mayweather is happening in spring 2026.
CSI Sports / Fight Sports on Thursday announced the upcoming exhibition bout without providing too many other details, such as the date or location of the event or at what weight the fight will take place.
Another detail that hasn’t been revealed is how much money each fighter will earn. No doubt it will be quite a hefty amount, a notion Mayweather may have been referencing when he posted multiple videos Thursday on his Instagram Stories featuring himself sitting in what appears to be a private jet and handling large stacks of cash.
The hype machine has already started, though.
CSI Sports / Fight Sports co-founders Richard and Craig Miele predicted in a news release that the fight would be bigger than Tyson’s record-setting bout with Jake Paul last November. That fight was the most-streamed sporting event of all time and brought in the largest gate for a U.S. boxing or MMA event held outside of Las Vegas.
“Tyson vs. Mayweather will break every broadcast, streaming and economic record set by Mike Tyson in 2024,” the Miele brothers said. “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.”
Tyson (59-7, 44 KO) was the undisputed world heavyweight champion from 1987-1990. The then-57-year-old Tyson ended nearly two decades of retirement from professional fighting last year when he fought the then-27-year-old Paul in a sanctioned bout. Paul won that match by unanimous decision.
Mayweather (50-0, 27 KO) won 15 championship belts spanning five weight classes, from super featherweight to light middleweight. He is now 48 and hasn’t fought a professional bout since his 10th-round technical knockout of Conor McGregor in 2017.
The boxers are already in hype mode as well, as evidenced by their comments in the press release announcing the event.
“I still can’t believe Floyd wants to really do this,” Tyson said. “It’s going to be detrimental to his health, but he wants to do it, so it’s signed and it’s happening!”
Mayweather said: “There hasn’t been a single fighter that can tarnish my legacy. … I’m the best in the business of boxing.”
