Floyd Mayweather will step into the ring for the first time after his third retirement on Sunday, when he takes on YouTuber-turned-boxer Logan Paul at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
The fight will do little to dispel the fears over boxing's decaying health but it will line the pockets of both fighters, who are set to pocket a hefty payout from the pay-per-view sales of the exhibition bout.
A five-time world champion, Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs) retired from professional boxing in 2017 but has since taken part in an exhibition fight, defeating kickboxing star Tenshin Nasukawa in December 2018.
Paul, meanwhile, lost his only professional bout by split decision against fellow YouTube sensation KSI in November 2019.
The prospect of getting into the ring with one of the greatest boxers of all time clearly does not faze Paul.
"Floyd came out of retirement, just to get re-retired. I'm about to beat the greatest fighter of all time," he said earlier this week.
Mayweather, meanwhile, has promised to knock the YouTube star out and accused Paul of disrespecting him.
"It's one thing to sell a fight, and people can say what they want, but one thing no one is going to do is disrespect me," he said.
Here's all you need to know ahead of Sunday night.
When is Mayweather vs. Paul?
The bout has been scheduled for Sunday, June 6. The pay-per-view broadcast is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET, with Mayweather and Paul expected in the ring at approximately midnight.
The fight was originally scheduled for February, only to be postponed indefinitely.
By scheduling the fight for June 6, organizers have avoided it clashing with another pay-per-view event, which pits undisputed lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez against George Kambosos Jr.
Where is Mayweather vs. Paul?
The fight is scheduled to take place at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The home of the Miami Dolphins has hosted six Super Bowls including Super Bowl LIV in February 2020, in which the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 31-20.
The venue has previously staged soccer and baseball games and WrestleMania XXVIII but has never hosted a boxing event.
How to watch Mayweather vs. Paul
The fight will be broadcast on pay-per-view in the U.S. by Showtime, while Fanmio will stream the fight on PPV outside the U.S.
Both Showtime and Fanmio will distribute the cable on TV and digital platforms for $49.99.
How much will Mayweather and Logan earn?
The short answer is "a lot of money". The exact purse for the fight have not been disclosed, but Mayweather and Paul have been bullish about their prospects. Speaking to the Disruptive Entrepreneur Podcast back in March, Mayweather suggested he could make "$100 million or more" by fighting Paul, as opposed to making approximately $35 million by fighting a traditional boxer.
Paul, meanwhile, told TMZ last month that he could earn as much as $20 million from the event.
According to SportingFree, Mayweather is guaranteed a $10 million in base salary and 50 percent of PPV shares, while Paul will receive $250,000 guaranteed on top of 10 percent of PPV shares.
Which other fights are on the card?
Former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson—him of Chad Ochocinco fame between 2008 and 2012—will feature in the first bout of the PPV portion of the undercard as he maxes his boxing debut against bare-knuckle fighter Brian Maxwell in a four-round exhibition.
Maxwell has a combined 2-7 record across his forays in boxing, MMA and bare-knuckle fighting but he's obviously far more experienced than Johnson, who has never boxed before.
"My goal is to get out alive," the former NFL star told ESPN this week.
"I want my face still intact. I want my kids to still know it's me. But I want to entertain. I don't want to embarrass those who put the time and energy into me."
From a boxing perspective, the most fascinating bout of the evening will put former two-division champion Badou Jack (23-3-3, 13 KOs) against Dervin Colina (15-0, 13 KOs).
Jack was initially scheduled to fight WBA light heavyweight champion Jean Pascal in a rematch of their 2019 title fight, only for the latter to be removed from the card after testing positive to three banned substances. The Canadian, however, staunchly denied taking any illicit substance.
Elsewhere on the card, Jarrett Hurd faces Luis Arias in a 10-round fight.
About the writer
Dan Cancian is currently a reporter for Newsweek based in London, England. Prior to joining Newsweek in January 2018, he was a news and business reporter at International Business Times UK. Dan has also written for The Guardian and The Observer.
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