Boxing icons Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather to meet in ring in 2026
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Mike Tyson, 59, built a 50-7 record with 44 knockouts in a career in which he established himself as the most feared heavyweight of his generation.
PHOTO: AFP
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LOS ANGELES – Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather have reached a deal on a potential exhibition fight in 2026, promoter CSI Sports said on Sept 4.
No date or location was given for the bout, but CSI said heavyweight great Tyson and undefeated multi-weight champion Mayweather would meet in “spring 2026”.
Tyson, 59, built a 50-7 record with 44 knockouts in a career in which he established himself as the most feared heavyweight of his generation.
He last appeared in the ring in a lopsided loss to YouTuber-turned prizefighter Jake Paul in November 2024 in Arlington, Texas. Tyson barely landed a punch in that eight-round bout, which was nevertheless watched by a live crowd of around 70,000 spectators with millions more tuning in around the world.
Former world champion Mayweather, 48, retired from boxing in 2017, unbeaten in 50 bouts as he won world titles in five weight classes.
But he has continued to appear in exhibitions, including a no-decision result against John Gotti III in Mexico in August 2024.
“When CSI came to me about stepping in the ring with Floyd Mayweather I thought, ‘No way this happens’,” Tyson said in a statement released by CSI.
“But Floyd said yes. 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.”
In other boxing news, the French women’s team have been barred from the world championships because the results of their gender tests were not delivered on time in a decision the country’s sports minister said was “inadmissible” on Sept 4.
World Boxing said in August that women wanting to compete in the event in Liverpool would have to undergo mandatory genetic sex testing under its new policy.
Such tests have been banned in France since a law was passed in 1994, except under strict conditions, so the French federation had to wait till they reached England in order to take them.
The five-member team underwent testing in a World Boxing-accredited laboratory with the understanding, the French federation (FFBoxe) said, that the results would be available before the deadline.
French Sports Minister Marie Barsacq slammed the decision and FFBoxe was seething.
“It is with stupefaction and indignation that the French team learnt on Wednesday evening the French women’s boxing team would not be able to compete in the first world championships organised by World Boxing,” FFBoxe said in a statement.
“Despite guarantees given to us by World Boxing, the laboratory which they recommended to us was not up to the task of delivering the results on time.” AFP
