Report: Tyson Vs. Mayweather, The Con In The Congo, Is Off For Now | Defector

"Tyson, a heavyweight from first fight to last, is 59 years old; Mayweather, whose best days came as a welterweight, is a ring-worn 49. Both retired from real fighting long ago, and both went out the first time in sanctioned sideshows. Mayweather's 50th and allegedly final official fight came in 2017 in Las Vegas, when he carried MMA blowhard Conor McGregor, a boxing novice making his professional debut, for nine rounds before knocking him out."

"Mike Tyson's last even vaguely authentic fight came 21 years ago in D.C., when the onetime baddest man on the planet got humiliated and stopped after six rounds by a different pasty Irish dude, Kevin McBride. These going-away fiascos each drew stout live gates and pay-per-view revenues: Mayweather/McGregor brought in a reported $600 million, which made it the second-largest PPV of all time."

"That bout, like so many of Paul's blandiose showcases, proved that name recognition now trumps all else in the formerly sweet science. Their 16-minute waltz, over eight two-minute rounds, attracted a reported 65 million concurrent viewers."

A highly anticipated exhibition match between 59-year-old Mike Tyson and 49-year-old Floyd Mayweather scheduled for April 25 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been cancelled. Both fighters retired from professional boxing years ago and have only participated in exhibition matches since. Tyson's last legitimate fight occurred 21 years ago against Kevin McBride, while Mayweather's final official bout was in 2017 against Conor McGregor. Both fighters have since engaged in high-profile exhibition matches that generated substantial revenue despite questionable sporting merit. The cancelled fight represents another example of celebrity-driven boxing events prioritizing name recognition over competitive integrity.

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