What do you do when one of the best boxers in history goes on with a match against one of the world’s most popular social media stars? You reserve yourself a seat or a PPV slot ASAP.
After retiring at a 50-0 bout record, the former professional boxer is going to step foot into the ring once more for an exhibition fight against YouTuber Logan Paul.
The bout, which is hailed as the most unusual fight of the year, will take place in Miami, Florida on June 6, 2021.
Tickets are out for the Hard Rock Stadium event, at 8 pm, ET, selling fast for up to $100 per seat. Boxing fans can also watch the fight via live stream on Showtime (US) and Sky Sports Box Office PPV (UK). PPV tickets cost $49.95 each.
Mayweather vs. Paul: Undercard Bouts
The highly anticipated bout will be an eight-round special exhibition, with three undercard matches.
Johnson vs Maxwell
The first undercard bout is between Chad Johnson and Brian Maxwell. Johnson is a former NFL wide receiver who is trying boxing for the first time, at age 43. Meanwhile, Maxwell is a 33-year-old former mixed martial artist (MMA).
Hurd vs Arias
In the second bout, former unified super-welterweight champion Jarrett Hurd is going to face Luis Arias, an American professional boxer with a 22:2 bout record. Arias was last seen by most when he lost the match to Julian Williams.
Pascal vs Jack
And in the final bout before the main event is between Haitian Canadian professional boxer Jean Pascal and Swedish professional boxer Badou Jack.
For the record, Pascal currently holds the WBA light-heavyweight title while Jack was a former world champion in WBC super-middleweight (2015-17) and WBA light-heavyweight divisions (2017).
Mayweather vs Paul: The Highlights
Mayweather was last seen in a boxing ring in 2018, during an exhibition bout against Japanese Kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa.
He last competed against MMA Superstar Conor McGregor in 2017. The undefeated, five-weight world champion won the fight via tenth-round technical knockout. It was widely regarded as the most high-profile fight in combat sports history.
Who Is Logan Paul?
Paul is a 26-year-old social media celebrity rocking 22.6 million subscribers on YouTube and 18.7 million followers on Instagram. He is known for his DIY-looking but slickly produced videos.
Paul holds no professional boxing experience although he has boxed twice with another YouTuber before. His brother (and fellow YouTuber), Jake Paul, also made headlines when he fought former NBA star Nate Robinson in November last year.
As of this moment, Paul is most likely training harder, pushing himself to his limits with intense punching bag workouts, drills, and strength and conditioning exercises in preparation for the bout.
The superstar-turned-boxer is being trained by Milton Lacroix, aka Milton Supreme, who has been working with pro and amateur boxers since the mid-1980s.
Fight of the Year
Even though Paul is the least experienced fighter Mayweather is going to face, he officially started his training camp in May.
During an interview, Mayweather said he didn't have to prepare much for the fight, rather, he simply has to stay in shape. The undefeated boxing champion is known for his reputation for hard work.
Besides their vast differences in bout records and boxing experience, the two combatants also have an immense difference in size and reach.
Paul is 6-foot-2 with a 76-inch reach, which is a huge advantage for him. Meanwhile, Floyd Mayweather is 5-foot-8 with a 72-inch reach. He might fall short in these areas, but not in terms of experience, techniques, and strategy.
Mayweather vs Paul Fight Rules
As per Showtime's official website, the fight will consist of 8 rounds at three minutes each. Given that it's an exhibition fight, the outcome of the match will not reflect on the combatants' records.
The most unusual fight of the year was put on by Fanmio Boxing. The company is known for hosting meet-and-greets with celebrities, so those who purchased PPV will have a chance to take part in the virtual meet-and-greet with Mayweather and Paul.
The long-rumored match was originally set for February 2021. This time, however, there's no stepping back from either camp.
How to Watch
If you're watching from home, the event is available via pay-per-view through many cable and satellite providers.
In addition, the fight will be streamed via Showtime in the US, and the first one million viewers will get the ticket for $29.99.
Also, check out FootBasket's boxing streams page for more!
Who Wins?
It's a win-win moment for both Mayweather and Paul, regardless of the outcome. According to Mayweather a.k.a Money, he is set for $100 million from the fight. Meanwhile, rumors are that Logan will bring home around $10 million.
Whatever the amount of money involved, we can all expect that it’s going to be a night full of action, fun, and entertainment—a trending fight that people will most likely talk about for days, weeks, and months.
