Floyd Mayweather announces return to boxing at age 48

[p]Former multi-weight world champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mayweather-floyd-jr/Cnr6xdje/"]Mayweather[/a] retired from boxing in 2017, unbeaten in 50 bouts, though he has appeared in several exhibition fights since.[/p][p][b]"I still have what it takes to set more records in the sport of boxing,"[/b] Mayweather, said in a statement to AFP.[/p][p][b]"From my upcoming [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tyson-mike/Y7TtHTFD/"]Mike Tyson[/a] 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."[/b][/p][p]A first professional fight is tentatively scheduled for this summer, against an opponent to be announced.[/p][p]Details will be revealed [b]"in the coming weeks," [/b]said the statement.[/p][embed guid="edc4445b-badd-41ea-adba-256407fd5025" url="https://x.com/ringmagazine/status/2024982259221102682?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Nicknamed "Money", Mayweather was once the world's highest-paid athlete, with earnings of $300 million in 2015, according to Forbes. At his peak, he was widely considered boxing's pound-for-pound king, dominating the welterweight division for more than a decade.[/p][p]Despite his success, Mayweather has long been a controversial figure.[/p][p]He was often criticized for an overly defensive style and accused by some of dodging the most dangerous opponents simply to embellish his record. Mayweather has also spent time in prison for one of a string of domestic violence incidents.[/p][p]But his supreme fitness, work ethic, athleticism, and boxing brain earned him respect in the ring, at least.[/p][p]Mayweather's last professional bout was in 2017 against UFC star [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mcgregor-conor/6cBfVCgU/"]Conor McGregor[/a].[/p][p]He has continued to appear in exhibitions, including a victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gotti-iii-john/Gvqijodk/"]John Gotti III[/a] in Mexico in August 2024, as well as bouts with reality television stars and YouTube fighters.[/p][p]Mayweather has signed an exclusive agreement with promoter CSI Sports/Fight Sports, to begin following his Tyson bout. Boxing outlet Ring Magazine recently reported that Mayweather's exhibition fight with Tyson will take place on April 25th in the Congo, though neither date nor location has been officially confirmed.[/p][embed guid="047d00ba-24a5-4d89-a671-b0e6b2529f5d" url="https://x.com/BleacherReport/status/2023544188776968340?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]"Iron Mike" Tyson, 59, last appeared in the ring in a lopsided loss to YouTuber-turned prizefighter [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/paul-jake/6XLCxtih/"]Jake Paul[/a] in November 2024 in Texas.[/p][p]Tyson barely landed a punch in that Netflix-backed bout, which was watched by a live crowd of around 70,000 spectators with an estimated millions more tuning in around the world.[/p]