Floyd Mayweather has un-retired.
The former five-weight world boxing champion, a Hall-of-Famer enshrined in Canastota, said in a statement Friday that he is going to return to the ring for a legitimate pro fight.
The American 48-year-old has been active on the exhibition circuit in post-retirement, after concluding his career at 50-0 (27 KOs), with wins over Jose Luis Castillo, Arturo Gatti, Oscar de la Hoya, Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, and Manny Pacquiao among many others.
He had been linked with an exhibition bout with Mike Tyson, himself familiar with that world having boxed Roy Jones Jr in an eight-rounder, before a crossover pro event with Jake Paul.
“I still have what it takes to set more records in the sport of boxing,” Mayweather said in a statement sent to Boxing Social. “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.”
If Mayweather is talking pay-per-view records, he’d likely only add to his own prominent spot atop the all-time standings, but if he were referencing a sporting side, he’d have to target one of the world champions at welterweight. If successful in a fight like that, he’d break Manny Pacquiao’s record as the oldest 147-pound champion in history.
Outside a champion, a rematch with Pacquiao — who took Mario Barrios all the way in a spectacular showing last year — is an obvious sell.
Start-ups CSI Sports/FIGHT SPORTS are behind Mayweather’s comeback. In a joint statement, co-founders Richard and Craig Miele said: “Signing Floyd Mayweather to un-retire after he captures another world-wide audience with his Mike Tyson match-up, highlights our commitment to providing our global audience with the most high-profile fighters in the sport.
“Floyd will once again continue to dominate boxing with the biggest audience and highest gross events of all time, and we are proud and privileged to be able to do [that] with our global team.”
They finished by stating they intend to build the sport further in 2026.
