Notebook: Mayweather adds another exhibition to busy 2026
WBC approves Usyk-Verhoeven for title; Berlanga-Eubank discussions; Fury-Makhmudov, Barboza-Sims undercards set; Murtazaliev appeal denied; Baumgardner to fight at MSG; Quick hits; Show & tell double
A note to Fight Freaks Unite readers: I created Fight Freaks Unite in January 2021 and eight months later it also became available for paid subscriptions for additional content — and as a way to help keep this newsletter going and for readers to support independent journalism. If you haven’t upgraded to a paid subscription please consider it. If you have already, I truly appreciate it! Also, consider a gift subscription for the Fight Freak in your life.
Floyd Mayweather has grossed more money than any fighter in history, some $1.2 billion, but his financial woes have him returning to the ring for what is supposed to be a busy 2026 if things go to plan.
Mayweather, who turned 49 last week and retired from official fights in 2017 — although he has participated in eight exhibition bouts of varying degrees of commercial success — is now scheduled for two more exhibitions and then an official fight.
The third appearance of the year is for his official exit from retirement for the recently announced rematch against Manny Pacquiao on Sept. 19 (Netflix) at the Sphere in Las Vegas, the fight coming 11 years after Mayweather won a clear decision in their record-shattering blockbuster welterweight unification fight in 2015.
In early September, months before CSI Sports/Fight Sports announced Mayweather-Pacquiao II, it also announced it had contracts done with five-division champion Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs) and former heavyweight champion and fellow Hall of Famer Mike Tyson (50-7, 44 KOs) to meet in an exhibition.
There has been reporting from multiple outlets that it would take place on April 25 in Congo in Africa, although that was never announced nor was a broadcast platform.
While that exhibition is still on course, the date will be later and Congo is merely one possible site, a source with knowledge of the plans told Fight Freaks Unite.
As if that wasn’t a busy enough schedule for Mayweather, he announced another exhibition on Monday.
