Floyd “Money” Mayweather is coming out of retirement. The undefeated 50-0 boxing legend officially announced on Friday that he will resume his professional boxing career following his upcoming exhibition against Mike Tyson on April 25.
Mayweather has signed an exclusive deal with CSI Sports™/FIGHT SPORTS® to facilitate his return. His first official professional bout under the new agreement is slated for Summer 2026, with an opponent yet to be announced.
“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. And I plan to keep doing it with my global media partner, CSI Sports™/FIGHT SPORTS®.”
Mayweather’s last professional fight came in August 2017, when he defeated UFC star Conor McGregor via 10th-round TKO to cap off his career at a perfect 50-0. He has since participated in several exhibition bouts but had not committed to a full professional comeback — until now.
The Tyson exhibition will serve as Mayweather’s re-introduction to the global spotlight before he transitions back to professional competition. Further details on his first official bout, including the opponent and venue, are expected to be announced in the coming months.
Nurideen Shabazz (‘Deen the Great’) has apologized for his recent scuffle with Tiki Ghosn and is now challenging Dana White to book a boxing match between them. The 25-year-old boxer addressed the incident on his KICK stream.
“I do want to say I apologize on my end…At the end of the day, I feel like he didn’t have to put hands on me…Sometimes you deal with the consequences. I’m just gonna have to eat that.”
He then turned his attention to UFC and Zuffa Boxing boss Dana White.
“Dana White, his goofy a—, posted on his story. If Dana White’s got a problem, Dana White, bring your fighters to face me then, I’ll beat the f— out of one of them.”
During the same livestream, Deen the Great called Rampage Jackson and asked him to set up an exhibition bout, stating,
“Me and Tiki, we gotta run it…We can do an exhibition. We can do a motherf—ing boxing match, whatever…The —— ain’t gonna elbow or kick me in MMA… I ain’t taking another elbow…Jake Paul fought Mike Tyson, and Mike Tyson is like 90…We gotta run that, bro. You’ve gotta set that up. I need that.”
The apology and call-out came during what had been a brutal week for Deen publicly — but it ended on a high note, with Rampage Jackson gifting him a $20,000 Audemars Piguet watch and crediting Deen with revitalizing his streaming career.
Eddie Hearn has delivered his most pointed attack yet on Dana White and the Zuffa Boxing venture, calling their current output “complete dogsh*t” and dismantling White’s claim that Matchroom lacks vision.
Hearn spoke with The Stomping Ground on Wednesday, where he responded directly to White’s recent comments dismissing him as simply “Barry Hearn’s son” with no real vision of his own.
The “Dogsh*t” Verdict
“When you compare Matchroom shows to Zuffa Boxing shows, quite frankly, Zuffa Boxing shows are absolute complete dogsh*t,” Hearn said. “But they’re going to get better and they’re going to sign some big fighters and they’re going to spunk some money. I’ve said it before, they’re clever people, but right now they’re trying to manipulate fight fans, and they don’t understand how intelligent fight fans are when it comes to boxing.”
Hearn took particular aim at Zuffa Boxing’s recent output, questioning the concept of “vision” that White has claimed for his new promotional venture.
“To say that I don’t have any vision is really quite strange,” Hearn said. “When you talk about their vision, what’s their vision? Getting Max Kellerman to tell everyone that Callum Walsh is the next Roy Jones? Or putting Charles Martin on a headline show on a Sunday night in front of 126 people in your garage, in a ring that looks like you’ve just got it out of a local club show. What sort of vision is that? That’s not vision. That’s control.”
Turning Dana’s Own Words Against Him
White’s dig about Hearn being his father’s son backfired badly. Hearn responded with a pointed history lesson about White’s own career, noting that the UFC boss spent years working for the Fertitta brothers and now operates within a structure owned by TKO, Endeavor, and Saudi interests.
“Yes, I do work for my dad,” Hearn acknowledged. “But Dana White has worked for his daddy for a long time — the Fertitta brothers. That’s who he worked for. And right now, Dana White’s got a new daddy, and his name is Turki [Al Sheikh]. So it took him a nanosecond to get personal — but that’s because right now he’s right at the bottom of the pile in terms of quality as a boxing promoter.”
Hearn also delivered a pointed piece of advice for his rival. “The best bit of advice I’ve got for him is tune into DAZN for the next two Saturdays and see how to do it properly — with a bit of vision, in front of sold-out crowds, with unbelievable atmospheres, brilliant undercards, and storyline. Real, true storyline.”
Despite the aggression, Hearn stopped short of writing Zuffa Boxing off entirely, conceding that White’s operation is staffed by intelligent people who will eventually become a more serious competitor. For now, though, he insists the gap in quality is stark — and he’s happy to say so.
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship has announced a loaded Spring 2026 slate, with 10 events scheduled between March and May across the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
The stretch kicks off with a heavyweight title fight and includes championship action, arena shows, and the promotion’s continued international expansion. Here’s the full schedule:
March 14 – BKFC Fight Night Newcastle (UK): Terrill vs. McFarlane for the Heavyweight Championship
March 20 – BKFC 87, Hollywood, FL: Stewart vs. Gaffie for the Featherweight Championship
March 28 – BKFC Fight Night Mohegan Sun 3: Porter vs. Watson
April 7 – Bare Knuckle Fight Club, 2300 Arena (Philadelphia, PA)
April 11 – BKFC Hawaii: Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu
April 17 – BKFC Denver: National Western Center
April 18 – BKFC Australia: Townsville Entertainment & Convention Centre
April 24 – BKFC Clearwater, Florida: OCC Road House
May 15 – BKFC Salt Lake City: Maverik Center
May 22 – BKFC Palm Desert, California: Acrisure Arena
The spring run opens with two title bouts in quick succession. The Heavyweight Championship is on the line in Newcastle on March 14, followed six days later by the Featherweight title in Hollywood, Florida.
BKFC 87 marks the promotion’s return to South Florida, while Mohegan Sun 3 continues what has become a recurring partnership with the Connecticut casino venue.
BKFC’s international footprint remains a priority, with the Australia event in Townsville slated for April 18. The promotion wraps up the spring stretch at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert on May 22, one of the larger venue bookings on the schedule.
Tickets for all events are available at BKFC.com. Full fight cards for most events have not yet been announced.
DAZN and Matchroom Boxing have officially agreed a new five-year extension to their broadcasting partnership, keeping Matchroom’s major events on the DAZN platform into the early 2030s.
The agreement extends what both sides have described as a long-standing relationship that was first formalized in a multi-year global deal back in 2021. That original agreement saw Matchroom move its British output off Sky Sports, positioning DAZN as the global home of Matchroom boxing.
Under the new contract, Matchroom will continue to air more than 30 events per year globally on DAZN, spanning key markets including the United Kingdom and the United States. The deal also includes shoulder programming such as original content, documentaries, and behind-the-scenes coverage built around Matchroom’s roster.
Hearn Calls DAZN the Only Partner That Matches Matchroom’s Ambitions
Matchroom chairman Eddie Hearn framed the extension as validation of DAZN’s global reach and production quality, stating that DAZN is the only partner capable of matching Matchroom’s ambitions in boxing’s biggest markets. Hearn has long been one of boxing’s most prominent promoters and has openly discussed Matchroom’s positioning in the evolving combat sports landscape.
DAZN’s messaging around the renewal emphasized a “non-stop calendar of premium events” that will feature some of boxing’s biggest names. High-profile fighters associated with Matchroom who are expected to remain featured on DAZN include Anthony Joshua, Katie Taylor, Dmitry Bivol, and Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez, among others, subject to future contracts and retirements.
What the Deal Means for Boxing Fans
The renewal comes at an interesting time for combat sports broadcasting. DAZN has been making significant moves to solidify its position in the boxing space, including its partnership with Turki Alalshikh to eliminate pay-per-view pricing for Riyadh Season events. The Matchroom extension further cements DAZN as one of the premier destinations for live boxing content worldwide.
For fans, the deal ensures that Matchroom’s stacked roster and packed event calendar will remain accessible through a single subscription platform for the foreseeable future. With the boxing landscape continuing to shift as new players like Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing enter the fray, the DAZN-Matchroom partnership provides a degree of stability in an increasingly competitive marketplace.
Boxing Hall of Famer Manny Pacquiao is making a return to the ring to face former WBO super lightweight champion Ruslan Provodnikov in a 10-round welterweight exhibition bout. The fight is scheduled for April 18 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Pacquiao’s professional record stands at 62-9-2.
Manny Pacquiao had this to say about his return to boxing in Las Vegas
‘I carry the Philippines with me every time I fight. The support from my country and from fans around the world continues to inspire me.’ He added, ‘Returning to Las Vegas means so much to me, and I’m excited to work with a team focused on creating a world-class experience for the fans. I’m coming back to give them a great fight — and I’m ready.’
Ruslan Provodnikov’s professional record is 25-5 with 18 KOs. He last fought in 2016 before transitioning into politics. The fight rules regarding knockdowns and stoppages have yet to be released.
Pacquiao’s most recent fight was a majority draw against Mario Barrios on July 19, 2025. You can watch that full fight here:
The highly anticipated exhibition fight between boxing legends Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather has reportedly locked in a date and location. According to sources who spoke with renowned boxing insider Mike Coppinger of Ring Magazine, the bout is tentatively scheduled for April 25, 2026, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The exhibition match will mark the first time these two all-time greats have faced each other in the ring. Event organizers CSI Sports/Fight Sports first announced the bout in September 2025, with an initial target of spring 2026. After months of speculation about the venue, it now appears the Democratic Republic of Congo has been selected to host what Tyson has called “one of the biggest events in the history of sports”.
Historic African Venue
Neither Tyson nor Mayweather has previously boxed in Africa, making this a historic occasion for both fighters. The location carries significant symbolism, as it’s where Muhammad Ali—one of Tyson’s heroes—delivered his legendary upset victory over George Foreman in the iconic “Rumble in the Jungle” in 1974. Tyson first confirmed the African location during an “Experience with Mike Tyson” event in December 2025, stating the fight would “break all the records”.
Recent Confirmation
After a period of minimal updates that left fans questioning whether the matchup would materialize, Tyson reaffirmed the fight’s status in an interview with TMZ Sports earlier this week, confirming the bout remains on track. Tyson, 59, last fought in November 2024 against Jake Paul, while Mayweather, 49, last competed in an exhibition rematch with John Gotti III in June 2024.
Zuffa Boxing 03 results are coming in live from Meta APEX in Las Vegas as the third event from Dana White’s boxing promotion features an interesting heavyweight contest.
TKO Group-backed boxing league brings another night of fights, headlined by a heavyweight battle featuring knockout artist Efe Ajagba and former IBF champion Charles Martin.
Joe Tessitore calls the action alongside analysts Max Kellerman and Andre Ward.
Eddie Hearn has criticized Dana White’s introduction of the Zuffa Boxing World Cruiserweight Championship, calling it the “cringiest shit” he’s ever seen. The Matchroom Boxing boss questioned the legitimacy of a promotional championship belt in an interview with iFL TV.
The Zuffa Boxing World Cruiserweight Championship will be contested between Jai Opetaia (29-0, 23 KOs), the IBF and Ring cruiserweight champion, and Brandon Glanton (21-3, 18 KOs) on March 8 at Zuffa Boxing 04. The IBF and Ring belts are not on the line for Opetaia vs. Glanton. The event will take place at Meta APEX in Las Vegas and will be available on Paramount+. Opetaia signed with Zuffa Boxing last month and is making his U.S. debut.
Hearn’s Critique of Zuffa Boxing
Hearn mocked the idea of a promotional championship belt, questioning its validity compared to established boxing titles. He stated,
“That is the cringiest shit I’ve ever seen. You know I would never do that, but I was just laughing because I was reading about, whenever it is, Jai Opetaia fighting Brandon Glanton for the Zuffa championship of the world, and I was thinking, ‘Do you know what? I could just do that.’ That would be quite amusing. Why don’t we do an iFL one as well?”
Zuffa Boxing does not recognize sanctioning bodies but acknowledges The Ring rankings; Glanton is No. 10 in The Ring cruiserweight rankings.
Dana White confirmed via livestream that, “Whoever wins this fight will be our first world champion.”
Undefeated boxing champion Shakur Stevenson has called out UFC champion Ilia Topuria for a boxing match, issuing the challenge during an appearance on Adin Ross’ livestream alongside Terence Crawford.
Stevenson and Crawford appeared on the Kick stream to discuss the state of combat sports when host Ross claimed that the UFC is better than boxing. That sparked a heated response from both boxers, with Stevenson directly targeting Topuria.
“The skill level is different. Tell him to come fight me,” Stevenson declared.
Both Stevenson and Crawford argued that the UFC will never surpass boxing, insisting that MMA stars like Jon Jones and Topuria would get outclassed in a boxing ring. Stevenson is an undefeated three-division world champion with an Olympic silver medal who currently holds world titles at junior welterweight and has drawn comparisons to Floyd Mayweather for his defensive prowess.
The callout aligns with Topuria’s own stated desire to cross over into boxing. The UFC champion has repeatedly expressed interest in facing elite boxing opponents, including wanting to fight Canelo Álvarez or the winner of the Crawford vs. Canelo bout.
For now, the Stevenson callout remains just talk. No official bout or formal negotiations between the two camps have been reported. Topuria recently signaled his return to the octagon, hinting at a potential title fight as his next assignment.
