Undefeated boxing icon Floyd Mayweather announced that he plans to return to professional competition after first stepping into the ring for an exhibition bout with Mike Tyson later this spring. The move ends a nine-year retirement that followed Mayweather’s flawless 50-0 run and cemented his status as one of the sport’s biggest draws.
“I still have what it takes to set more records in the sport of boxing,” Mayweather said in a statement. “From my upcoming Mike Tyson event to my next professional fight afterwards, no one will generate a bigger gate or a larger global audience than my events.”
Mayweather also revealed he has signed an exclusive agreement with CSI Sports for both the exhibition and his future sanctioned bouts. The company says details about dates, locations, and opponents will be announced soon.
The long-discussed Mayweather-Tyson exhibition has already sparked major buzz, pairing two legends whose combined age tops 100. While reports have floated possible dates and international locations, no official confirmation has been made.
Since retiring from professional boxing in 2017, Mayweather has stayed active through a series of lucrative exhibitions, including bouts against Logan Paul and Tenshin Nasukawa. Tyson, meanwhile, returned to the ring sporadically after his own retirement, most recently in a heavily watched fight against Jake Paul.
Mayweather sounds confident about what comes next. “This is about legacy and business,” he said. “And I’m still the best at both.” The announcement comes amid rumors that Mayweather could be in some financial trouble.