A Match-Up That Makes No Sense
So it’s official: Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Mike Tyson are stepping into the ring for a Mayweather Tyson exhibition in 2026. And honestly? I’ve had enough of this circus.
If I wanted to watch a circus, I’d buy a ticket. If I wanted to see an athlete take on another athlete with no chance of winning, I’d stick on WWE. Boxing is supposed to be a sport—a contest where skill, weight classes, and rankings matter. This exhibition ignores all of that.
Mayweather was one of the greatest welterweights in history. Tyson was one of the most devastating heavyweights of all time. They were never in the same division, never on the same timeline, and never meant to meet. Calling this “nostalgia” is nonsense. It’s not nostalgia—it’s a fantasy fight with no sporting logic.
Health and Safety Concerns
Here’s another uncomfortable truth: Mike Tyson is pushing 60. He struggled to get cleared medically for the Jake Paul fight, and even then it was under watered-down rules—shorter rounds, oversized gloves, no real scoring.
If Tyson needs special conditions just to get through a training camp, should he really be in the ring with anyone, let alone a defensive genius like Mayweather? Boxing is dangerous enough for men in their prime. For Tyson, one wrong shot could mean lasting damage.
And if something does happen, it’s boxing that takes the blame—not the promoters cashing the cheques.
The WWE Comparison
This is where boxing edges dangerously close to sports entertainment. I’ve written before about the parallels with WWE, and the Mayweather Tyson exhibition only underlines it.
Legends coming back for one-night-only “dream matches.” Gimmick rules. Hype over substance. That’s fine when everyone knows the outcome is scripted—because that’s wrestling’s appeal.
But in boxing? It kills credibility. Fans expect the sport to be authentic, not theatre.
The Credibility Problem
This is the real damage. Each time boxing leans on these gimmicks, it chips away at its credibility. Fans start questioning what matters more—titles and rankings, or pay-per-view gimmicks that ignore everything boxing is supposed to stand for.
The Mayweather Tyson exhibition isn’t nostalgia, because there’s nothing real to revisit. It’s an invention. A mismatch. A product designed to cash in, not to honour the sport.
And here’s the problem: hardcore fans are sick of it. They can see the difference between a genuine fight and a circus act. And every time another one of these exhibitions comes around, fans lose more patience.
The Knock-On Effect for Real Fighters
The saddest part is the effect on today’s fighters. Prospects grinding through gyms, champions defending belts, pound-for-pound stars building their legacies—they’re all being shoved aside while retired legends soak up the spotlight.
How do you convince the next generation of fans—or fighters—that boxing is worth their time when the biggest headlines go to fantasy exhibitions instead of real contests?
If the sport keeps doing this, its legacy suffers. And once credibility is gone, it doesn’t come back.
Final Thoughts
Call me harsh, but the Mayweather Tyson exhibition is a disgrace. It’s not nostalgia. It’s not sport. It’s a circus act dressed up as boxing, and it damages the game we love every time it happens.
Mayweather doesn’t need it. Tyson doesn’t need it. And boxing definitely doesn’t.
What Do You Think?
Do you see the Mayweather Tyson exhibition as harmless fun, or do you agree it’s another circus that harms boxing’s future? Share your thoughts in the comments, pass this piece on to your mates, and check out more honest takes at CMBoxing.