Tyson v Mayweather

[Master]

Former world champions Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather are set to compete in an exhibition bout next year.

The event will be put on by CSI Sports/Fight Sports but details regarding the date, location, broadcasters and rules are yet to be announced.

Tyson, 59, is a former undisputed heavyweight champion while Mayweather, 48, retired undefeated after 50 fights, winning multiple titles across a number of weight classes.

"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," said Tyson.

Tyson is competing for the first time since ending his 19-year retirement in November in a controversial defeat by Jake Paul.

He spent the entirety of his career, which yielded 50 wins from 59 fights, at heavyweight while the latter stages of Mayweather's career were at welterweight.

Mayweather, who has won titles across five weight classes, has competed in a number of exhibition bouts since retiring in 2017 with his last outing coming against John Gotti III last August.

Formal winners are not usually declared in exhibitions and the results do not count towards either fighter's career record.

"You already know that if I am going to do something, it's going to be big and it's going to be legendary," said Mayweather.

"I'm the best in the business of boxing. This exhibition will give the fans what they want."

They are two of the biggest names boxing has known: Tyson, the youngest heavyweight champion in history, and Mayweather, the unbeaten five-weight king.

On paper, a match-up between the pair sounds like the stuff of fantasy. But in reality it's a very different story.

Mayweather says he is giving the fans what they want. But is this really it? One man is pushing 60, the other was competing several divisions below Tyson's heavyweight frame.

Yes, Tyson-Mayweather isn't a pro fight. Yes, there won't be an official winner. But does that justify the spectacle?

These exhibitions, like Jake Paul v Gervonta Davis or Tyson v Mayweather, continue to blur the lines between competition and entertainment.

The last time Tyson stepped into a ring, he was beaten by Paul - a former Disney Channel star turned YouTuber turned boxer. That was billed as a professional contest and left many wondering if this is how one of the sport's most feared champions should be remembered.

Tyson-Paul was streamed on Netflix and did huge numbers - the main event peaked at 65 million concurrent streams - so it's obvious what is driving this.

Mayweather's words say it all - "business", not boxing, is the key term here. And if there's one thing he knows how to do, it is make money.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/a...s/cjed30glwz9o

[Mark TKO]

It's what the fans want

[Spicoli]

Farcical gar'bage. This sport is increasingly not a serious undertaking. Although undertaker may apply to this one.

[Primo Carnera]

I’m sick of saying this, but the piss weak world governing bodies need to man up. They need to disassociate the sport from shit like this and the Jake Paul stuff.
The governing bodies need to ban Any fighter that fights in one of these type fights from the pro ranks.

[TitoFan]

[Spicoli]

I’m sick of saying this, but the piss weak world governing bodies need to man up. They need to disassociate the sport from shit like this and the Jake Paul stuff.
The governing bodies need to ban Any fighter that fights in one of these type fights from the pro ranks.

Exactamundo. But I'm wondering how much if any leverage the alphabet soup boys still have of bs like this. Almost as if the circus has made the lap and if anything, the bodies are trying to keep up with it. Like clamoring for watered down legitimacy by teasing Paul rankings and now talk of should Tank be stripped or not. Because he clearly ducked the Roach rematch. Oh and also being completely corrupt . I'd put major platforms on the same if not higher level of fault too. Makes us miss when HBO would call bs on a proposed opponents for fighters. I mean they fed us some showcases and obvious gimmes on occasion, but they also ripped apart and dismiss the same organizations and terrible opponents. Now Dazn basically starts a second channel for this crap and platforms it regularly. Youtubers "fighting" instagram models or influencer vs influencer in a schoolyard scrap with the skill of two newborn gazelle attempting to run. Then there's Netflix. Think about the fact that Inoue has no notable US platform for his big fight this weekend, but they will run to this Jurassic circus event in an instant.