Floyd Mayweather has confirmed he will come out of retirement and return to professional boxing later this year, with a comeback bout planned after his forthcoming exhibition contest against Mike Tyson.
The 48-year-old American, who retired in 2017 with an unblemished 50-0 professional record, announced on Friday that he intends to resume his career in the paid ranks following his spring exhibition.
Mayweather is scheduled to face former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson in a high-profile exhibition widely reported to be taking place on 25 April 2026 in Congo, although neither the date nor venue has been officially confirmed.
The bout will mark another lucrative showcase event for Mayweather, who has continued to compete in exhibitions since stepping away from professional boxing nine years ago.
Speaking in a statement, Mayweather insisted he remains capable of setting new benchmarks in the sport.
“I still have what it takes to set more records in boxing,” he said. “From my upcoming Mike Tyson event to my next professional fight afterwards, no one will generate a bigger gate, attract a larger global audience or generate more money with each event than mine.”
A first professional contest is tentatively pencilled in for summer 2026, with an opponent yet to be named. Further details are expected in the coming weeks.
Nicknamed “Money”, Mayweather was once the world’s highest-paid athlete, earning a reported $300 million in 2015 according to Forbes. At his peak, he was widely regarded as boxing’s pound-for-pound number one, dominating the welterweight division for more than a decade.
His last professional appearance came on 26 August 2017, when he stopped UFC star Conor McGregor to extend his flawless record to 50 wins.
Since retirement, Mayweather has featured in several exhibition bouts, including a victory over John Gotti III in Mexico in August 2024, alongside contests against social media personalities and crossover fighters. He has now signed an exclusive agreement with promoter CSI Sports/Fight Sports, with the deal set to begin after the Tyson event.
Tyson, now 59, last fought in November 2024, suffering a one-sided defeat to YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Texas before a crowd of around 70,000, with millions more watching globally.
Mayweather’s career has not been without controversy. Frequently criticised for his defensive style and accused by detractors of carefully selecting opponents, he has nonetheless earned widespread respect for his conditioning, ring intelligence and technical brilliance.
