Four years on after retiring for a third time, Floyd Mayweather will return to the ring again to face YouTuber-turned-boxer Logan Paul at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens this summer.
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.
"Logan Paul and I are going to fight at Hard Rock Stadium. Mayweather Promotions, Fanmio and Showtime will team up to give you an epic event," the 44-year-old Mayweather said in an Instagram post.
Here's what we know so far about the upcoming event.
When is Mayweather vs. Paul?
The bout has been scheduled for Sunday, June 6. The exact start time is yet to be confirmed.
The fight was originally scheduled for February, only to be postponed indefinitely. Last week rumors suggested the bout could take place on June 5, but it was eventually pushed back by a day.
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.
The historic crossover event is signed & sealed! ✍🏽
— Mayweather Promotions (@MayweatherPromo) April 27, 2021
Mayweather vs. Paul live at Hard Rock 🏟 Sunday, June 6th 🥊 #MayweatherPaul #BraggingRights pic.twitter.com/GLa0S9gWQl
Where is Mayweather vs. Paul?
The fight will 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
Mayweather announced on Instagram the fight will be broadcast on pay-per-view by Showtime and Fanmio, but the price is yet to be confirmed.
When the fight was scheduled for February, the PPV arrangements differed from those of normal boxing bouts.
The cost is yet to be confirmed. When the fight was scheduled for February, Organizers set the price at $24.99 for the first million paying customers, with the price increasing to $39.99 from then on. Between December 29 and February 11, the cost was set at $59.99, while those choosing to leave it late to purchase would have to pay $69.99.
Additionally, those who purchased the PPV would enter a drawing for a virtual meet-and-greet with Mayweather and Paul—Fanmio specializes in meet-and-greets with celebrities.
At the time of writing, it remains to be seen whether the arrangement will be in place for the upcoming bout.
How will the fight work?
Your guess is as good as anyone else's. As was the case with February's postponed event, June's fight has been billed as a "special exhibition". Details over what that entails in practice, are sketchy at best.
Organizers are yet to confirm over how many rounds the fight will be or what size gloves Mayweather and Paul will use.
What appears obvious is that the fight will not be a real fight in strict boxing terms, nor should it be. Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs) retired undefeated after stopping UFC star Conor McGregor by 10th-round TKO in 2017 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Paul (0-1 0 KOs), meanwhile, lost his only professional fight and that was against fellow YouTuber Olajide William Olatunji—better known as KSI—in November 2019.
Mayweather vs. Paul odds
Unsurprisingly, bookmakers expect Mayweather to come out on top on June 6. According to BetOnline, the five-time champion is a 1-10 favorite, while Paul is a 9-1 underdog.
