MIKE TYSON has been left in a cast after spraining his hand – leaving his fight with Floyd Mayweather in major doubt.
The 59-year-old heavyweight great has signed to face Mayweather in an exhibition bout – targeted for April 25 in the DR Congo.
But on Ariel Helwani’s show to discuss an amateur boxing event he is promoting, Tyson revealed his injury sustained from training.
He said: “It’s just a little sprain. I’ve gotta go hard. It’s the only way I know how to go.”
Last year, Tyson and Mayweather both announced a deal to fight in an exhibition bout but no date or venue was confirmed.
Probed on the deal, Tyson said: “That’s something I’ve signed for already. It’s going to be going down in Africa.”
But asked if the injury could see the fight cancelled, Tyson replied: “We’ll see.”
Tyson first retired in 2005 but made a return in 2020 for an eight-round exhibition against fellow legend Roy Jones Jr – which ended in a draw.
But in November 2024, he made a controversial comeback to face YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in a professionally-sanctioned bout.
Paul, 29, won the fight over eight shorter two-minute rounds with 108 MILLION watching on Netflix.
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There’s a massive year of boxing ahead!
It’s shaping up to be a blockbuster year of action inside the boxing ring.
Tyson Fury will make his return in April against Arslanbek Makhmudov while Oleksandr Usyk takes on the king of kickboxing Rico Verhoeven.
Conor Benn features for the first time since making the switch to Zuffa Boxing and Fabio Wardley will defend his newly won heavyweight crown.
Canelo Alvarez will be hoping to return after his defeat to Terence Crawford and heavyweight king Oleksandr Usyk will also need to defend his straps.
Derek Chisora will fight for the 50th and (perhaps) final time against Deontay Wilder while Daniel Dubois is also on the comeback trail.
A whole bunch of British stars could also take a leap into superstardom, with the likes of Moses Itauma, Hamzah Sheeraz and Adam Azim ready to join the very top of the sport.
Here’s all the big fights coming up…
March
- Sat 14 – Jazza Dickens vs Anthony Cacace – WBA super-featherweight title – DAZN
- Sat 21 – George Liddard vs Tyler Denny – British & Commonwealth Middleweight title – DAZN
- Sat 28 – Moses Itauma vs Jermaine Franklin – DAZN
- Sat 28 – Sebastian Fundora vs Keith Thurman – Amazon Prime PPV
April
- Sat 4 – Deontay Wilder vs Derek Chisora – DAZN PPV
- Sun 5 – Caroline Dubois vs Terri Harper – Sky Sports
- Sat 11 – Tyson Fury vs Arslanbek Makhmudov – Netflix
- Sat 11 – Conor Benn vs Regis Prograis – Netflix
- Sat 18 – Callum Smith vs David Morrell – DAZN
- Sat 18 – Manny Pacquiao vs Ruslan Provodnikov
- Sat 25 – Lawrence Okolie vs Tony Yoka – DAZN
May
- Sat 2 – Zurdo Ramirez vs David Benavidez – WBA & WBO Cruiserweight titles – Prime Video
- Sat 9 – Fabio Wardley vs Daniel Dubois – WBO title – DAZN
- Sat 23 – Oleksandr Usyk vs Rico Verhoeven – WBC title – DAZN
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Mayweather, 49, meanwhile retired after beating ex-UFC champ Conor McGregor, 37, in ten rounds of their crossover clash.
But he has continued to box in exhibitions since – his last in August 2024 against the grandson of notorious New York crime boss John Gotti.
Mayweather too is set to make a return to the pro ranks with a September 19 rematch with Manny Pacquiao confirmed.
But he is first due to face Tyson – who believes this will be his final appearance in the ring.
Tyson said: “I think it’s gonna be my last. But we’ll see.”
The exhibition is due to be over eight rounds, with no weight restrictions.
And Tyson said it will be in the exact same ring Muhammad Ali fought George Foreman in during the 1974 Rumble in the Jungle.
