Boxing Fans React To Floyd Mayweather, Mike Tyson Fight: 'Retire Unc!'
Mike Tyson's an old man, what is he doing?
Turns out 59-year-old Mike Tyson’s got one more in him. The seasoned boxer was announced Thursday as the co-headliner of a marquee event, this time against a legitimate opponent: Floyd "Money" Mayweather.
The "Legend vs. Legend" Event
"Coming Soon," Tyson posted on his Instagram, announcing the deal had been ‘signed’ with Mayweather. CSI Sports/Fight Sports will host the fight.
LAS VEGAS - Floyd Mayweather Jr. celebrates after defeating Marcos Maidana by majority decision in their WBC/WBA welterweight unification fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 3, 2014. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Tyson (59-7, 44 KOs) hasn’t fought professionally since 2005, when he retired after a loss to Kevin McBride.
But he’s stayed in the public eye with exhibitions, most recently on Netflix, against internet celebrity Jake Paul. The bout was limited to eight rounds, each lasting two minutes, and fought with oversized gloves.
That box-office event drew an estimated 60 million households, even as Tyson looked beaten and broken, his body stiff on the canvas, showing every bit of his age. Whether there’s still much of a market for another Tyson spectacle remains an open question.
LOS ANGELES - Mike Tyson attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Netflix's "Starting 5"at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on September 23, 2024. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images)
Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson and boxer, actor and YouTuber Jake Paul face off during a press conference at Fanatics Fest NYC on August 18, 2024, in New York City. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images)
In the lead-up to that Paul fight, Tyson even suffered a medical emergency on a flight to Los Angeles. Combined with his ongoing battles with sciatica and mobility issues, questions over the legend’s ability to keep fighting have only grown louder.
Still, Tyson isn’t stepping away. Instead, he’s taking on the undefeated Mayweather, 11 years younger and still quick.
Mayweather, 48, remains perfect with a 50-0 record and 27 KOs.
Tyson, meanwhile, is remembered as the youngest heavyweight champion in history, claiming the belt at just 20 years old. The two never shared a weight class or peak era, making this clash less about competition and more about spectacle.
WBC welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. poses during the official weigh-in at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 2, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bryan Steffy/WireImage)
Like Paul-Tyson, this fight is expected to be pure box office — money in the bank. While official rules have yet to be confirmed, exhibitions typically feature shorter rounds, heavier gloves, and no official winner.
Mayweather has dabbled in these before. In 2021, he fought Logan Paul in a ‘no-winner’ exhibition that packed an arena and fueled headlines.
Reacting Thursday after the fight announcement with TMZ Sports, Mayweather made it clear he plans to deliver:
"I’ve been doing this for 30 years, and there hasn’t been a single fighter that can tarnish my legacy. 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."
Fans reacted, telling Tyson to give 'em up. "Come on mike you’re just ruining your legacy," one fan responded.
Another said enthusiastically, "can’t wait for this pillow fight!"
REACTIONS (look if you dare):
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