NEW YORK, United States — In a surprising announcement that has captivated the boxing world, legendary boxers Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather Jr. have agreed to a fight in 2026.
Tyson, 59, took to Instagram on Thursday night to announce the event, sharing a poster featuring half of each boxer’s face with the words, “Legend vs. Legend.” The boxing star simply captioned the post, “Coming Soon.” According to TMZ Sports, Tyson was shocked that Mayweather had agreed to the bout.
In a press release, Tyson expressed his disbelief and excitement. “This fight is something neither the world nor I ever thought would or could happen,” he said. “However, boxing has entered a new era of the unpredictable—and this fight is as unpredictable as it gets. I still can’t believe Floyd wants to really do this. It’s going to be detrimental to his health, but he wants to do it, so it’s signed and it’s happening!”
Mayweather, 49, who is a decade younger than Tyson, appears unfazed by the challenge. He told TMZ Sports: “I’ve been doing this for 30 years and there hasn’t been a single fighter that can tarnish my legacy.” He continued: “You already know that if I am going to do something, it’s going to be big and it’s going to be legendary. I’m the best in the business of boxing. This exhibition will give the fans what they want.”
Since the fight is classified as an exhibition, a loss for Mayweather would not affect his perfect 50-0 professional record. Both fighters were among the most successful of their respective eras. Tyson holds an overall record of 50-7 with 44 knockouts. His last ring appearance was on November 24, 2024, when he lost to Jake Paul at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Mayweather, meanwhile, retired from professional boxing with an undefeated record of 50-0, including 27 knockouts. His last competitive fight was a unanimous decision victory over Andre Berto on September 15, 2015.
However, he has since competed in several exhibition bouts, including one in 2024, and has been a part of some of the most lucrative events in boxing history.
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His May 2, 2015, showdown with Manny Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas broke pay-per-view and gate records, with over 4.4 million PPV buys and a $72 million gate, according to ESPN.
The upcoming fight will take place at a “location to be determined,” according to CSI Sports. Tyson’s previous mega-fight against Jake Paul was held at the expansive AT&T Stadium, which has a capacity of 80,000. No specifics regarding the fight’s regulations were disclosed.
Both fighters have been enticed back from retirement in recent years by the allure of highly profitable contests. Since officially retiring in 2017 with his flawless record, Mayweather has taken part in exhibition bouts against opponents such as Logan Paul and John Gotti III.
Similarly, Tyson, at 59, returned to the professional arena last year to face Jake Paul, his first professional bout in nearly two decades.
