Mayweather to stage exhibition against YouTuber Logan Paul

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Floyd Mayweather announced Sunday he is set for an exhibition boxing match against popular YouTube personality Logan Paul at an undetermined venue early next year.

No details were released about the former boxing champion’s latest exhibition, other than it would be held on February 20.

The 43-year-old Mayweather has not had a serious boxing match since fighting Andre Berto in 2015, the same year he battled Filipino champion Manny Pacquiao.

In 2017, Mayweather stopped mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor, who had never boxed professionally before. The one-sided fight allowed Mayweather an easy way to close his overall boxing record at 50-0.

A year later, Mayweather staged another widely ridiculed exhibition against kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa on New Year’s Eve that reportedly netted him $9 million.

The 25-year-old Paul’s lone boxing match was against his YouTube rival, KSI, back in November 2019.

Paul triggered widespread criticism with his YouTube portfolio in 2017 when he posted a video showing the body of an apparent suicide victim in Japan. The video, shot in the Aokigahara forest, caused YouTube to cut some business ties with Paul.

Last month, Mayweather shared a video on Instagram teasing an upcoming fight but without any details.

Mayweather will be giving up six inches in height to the six-foot-two Paul. Tickets are priced between $25 and $70.

© Agence France-Presse