Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr. looks to defy his age as he is set to go head-to-head with a familiar rival in Manny Pacquiao. Recently, he grabbed headlines for announcing that he’s coming out of retirement. He has scheduled a rematch with the Filipino boxing legend, making significant buzz as they are two of the biggest names in the sport. However, Mayweather has added another exhibition bout to an already crowded 2026 fight calendar.
According to EssentiallySports, this week, Mayweather announced that he will take on retired Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis. This move has sparked widespread speculation about his motivations because the 49-year-old legend already has a packed schedule. Aside from Pacquiao and Zambidis, he will also face Mike Tyson.
Mayweather will first fight Tyson in April in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa, before squaring off against him in an exhibition match this June in Athens, Greece. These events can serve as a warm‑up ahead of his professional rematch with Pacquiao, slated on September 19 at The Sphere in Las Vegas, which will be streamed globally on Netflix. It is a highly anticipated rematch of their first historic encounter in 2015 that rocked the boxing world.
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The Schedule Seems To Point To Mayweather’s Financial Situation
Since his official retirement in 2017 after defeating Conor McGregor, he has participated in multiple non‑professional contests against unlikely opponents, including crossover stars like Logan Paul, who claimed he is owed millions by Mayweather for their fight in 2021. However, the revelation that Mayweather is stacking exhibitions, more so with old fighting legends, ahead of his return to sanctioned boxing has raised eyebrows among fans and pundits alike.
His announcement of his fights with Zambidis and Tyson has intensified speculation about Mayweather’s financial situation. People and critics on social media and within boxing circles think Mayweather is entangled in legal and financial disputes over matters such as unpaid rents and taxes. However, there is no definitive evidence has surfaced to prove he is “broke.”
Many have cast doubt on the necessity of these fights. However, another way people are viewing this move is as a promotional strategy for his main event against Pacquiao. With these fights, Mayweather can remain in the public eye and generate media buzz leading into a rematch that could be one of the most lucrative in boxing history.
Their 2015 bout, called “The Fight of the Century,” reportedly generated over $600 million. It remains uncertain how much they would earn in this 2026 fight. But whatever it is, it would be financially significant for Floyd, especially since he would have two fights before that.
Published: Mar 3, 2026 05:15 pm