Boxing legend Mike Tyson has issued a stark health warning to Floyd Mayweather ahead of their spring exhibition match.
The 59-year-old former heavyweight champion believes the bout could harm Mayweather’s wellbeing.
“It’s going to be detrimental to his health, but he wants to do it, so it’s signed and it’s happening!” Tyson said about the matchup confirmed last night.
The two boxing icons will face each other in an exhibition organized by CSI Sports/Fight Sports.
Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather are set to meet in the ring for an exhibition bout in the spring of 2026, a match-up that few in the boxing world ever imagined possible | GETTY
While the exact rules haven’t been revealed yet, Tyson expressed disbelief that the 48-year-old Mayweather actually wants to go through with the fight.
Both fighters have been lured back to the ring by lucrative exhibition opportunities in recent years.
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Mayweather, who retired undefeated with a perfect 50-0 record in 2017, has since faced opponents including Logan Paul and John Gotti III in exhibition matches.
Tyson made his own comeback at 59, stepping into the professional ring for the first time in nearly two decades to face Jake Paul last year.
The spring exhibition between these two legends was announced yesterday, though fight organizers haven’t revealed specific rules or regulations.
Mike Tyson sent a warning to Floyd Mayweather ahead of their shock fight
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GETTYThroughout their careers, Mayweather competed in lighter weight classes than the heavyweight Tyson.
“This fight is something neither the world nor I ever thought would or could happen. However, boxing has entered a new era of the unpredictable – and this fight is as unpredictable as it gets,” Tyson declared.
The former heavyweight champion still can’t wrap his head around Mayweather’s decision. “I still can’t believe Floyd wants to really do this,” he admitted.
Meanwhile, Mayweather remains supremely confident about his legacy. “I’ve been doing this for 30 years and there hasn’t been a single fighter that can tarnish my legacy,” he stated.
“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.”
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Floyd Mayweather retired from boxing with an incredible 50-0 record | GETTY
Richard and Craig Miele of CSI Sports expressed grand ambitions for the event. “Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather are two of the most compelling names and personalities with lasting legacies in all of sports. They are 21st century icons,” they said.
The promoters promised the bout would “break every broadcast, streaming and economic record set by Mike Tyson in 2024.”
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Mike Tyson has had run-ins with Floyd Mayweather in the past
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GETTYThey’re planning weekly premium content and global marketing, plus innovative ring technology that they believe will transform boxing presentation and scoring.
The two fighters have clashed verbally before. In 2015, Tyson criticised Mayweather’s comparisons to Muhammad Ali, calling him “a little scared man… a very small scared man.”
