Former world boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. has announced plans to return to professional boxing later this year, ending an eight-year retirement after first taking part in an exhibition bout with Mike Tyson.
The 48-year-old, who retired unbeaten in 2017 with a perfect 50–0 record, confirmed the decision on Friday, insisting he remains capable of competing at the elite level of the sport.
“I still have what it takes to set more records in the sport of boxing,” Mayweather said in a statement to Agence France-Presse.
He also pointed to his enduring commercial appeal, saying his fights continue to command global attention.
“No one will generate a bigger gate, have a larger global broadcast audience and generate more money with each event than my events,” he added.
Floyd Mayweather Jr. says he is coming out of retirement and plans to return to professional boxing later this year.
Mayweather said his first professional bout since retirement is tentatively scheduled for the summer, with details of the opponent and venue expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
Nicknamed “Money,” Mayweather was once the world’s highest-paid athlete, earning an estimated $300 million in 2015, according to Forbes. His last professional appearance came in 2017, when he defeated Conor McGregor in a crossover boxing contest.
Since stepping away from competitive boxing, Mayweather has featured in several exhibition bouts and recently signed an exclusive promotional agreement with CSI Sports/Fight Sports.
Meanwhile, Ring Magazine reported that the Mayweather–Tyson exhibition bout is being targeted for April 25 in the Congo, although no official confirmation has yet been issued.
