Floyd Mayweather Jr has announced plans to return to professional boxing, confirming he will come out of retirement at the age of 49 following his upcoming exhibition bout with Mike Tyson.
Mayweather, who turns 49 later this month, revealed his intention to resume sanctioned competition, a significant shift from the exhibition circuit he has dominated in recent years.
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The undefeated former five-division world champion (50-0, 27 KOs) has not fought professionally since 2017, when he stopped Conor McGregor to preserve his perfect record.
Tyson Exhibition Set for April 2026
The April 2026 exhibition with Tyson is tentatively scheduled to take place in Congo, although final details regarding the venue and broadcast partners are yet to be confirmed.
This marks Mayweather’s fourth retirement reversal, having previously stepped away from boxing in 2007, 2015 and 2017. Despite those retirements, he remained active through lucrative exhibition bouts against Logan Paul, Mikuru Asakura and John Gotti III.
“I Still Have What It Takes”
“I still have what it takes to set more records in the sport of boxing,” Mayweather said in a statement. “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.”
Legacy and Legal Backdrop
Mayweather spent over a decade as boxing’s premier commercial attraction, highlighted by his 2015 victory over Manny Pacquiao in what was then the richest fight in boxing history. Celebrated for his defensive mastery and ring intelligence, he also built global stardom through his “Money May” persona.
His return comes amid ongoing legal and promotional matters, including a lawsuit filed earlier this year against Showtime Networks and former Showtime Sports president Stephen Espinoza over alleged unpaid earnings.
Now nearing 50, Mayweather insists his drawing power remains unrivalled and that his comeback to professional boxing will once again redefine the sport’s commercial landscape.
