Mike Tyson says his planned exhibition with Floyd Mayweather in the Congo will have no weight limit, be scheduled for eight rounds, and use the same ring that staged Muhammad Ali vs George Foreman.
The 59‑year‑old former heavyweight champion outlined the latest details during a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, telling the veteran reporter that he has signed for the bout and still expects it to go ahead on April 25 in Africa. Tyson described the contest as a free‑weight, catchweight‑style exhibition, explaining that there will be “no weight limit” between him and Mayweather.
That stance is striking given that Tyson weighed just under 229 pounds for his exhibition loss to Jake Paul in November 2024, while Mayweather has hovered around the mid‑150s, hitting a career‑high just under 161 pounds for his 2024 exhibition with John Gotti III.
Mike Tyson vs. Floyd Mayweather Rules
Despite recent chatter that the matchup could be pushed back, Tyson has pushed back against postponement talk and insists the date remains April 25, even while acknowledging he is carrying a minor injury and has been seen with a cast during training. Multiple outlets, including Ring Magazine via reporter Mike Coppinger and several combat sports sites, have described the bout as an exhibition targeted for the Democratic Republic of Congo, with Kinshasa viewed as the likely host city. Officials in the country, including Vice Premier Minister Mobutu Nzanga Ngbangawe, have publicly backed the plan, framing it as a high‑profile boxing event returning to Congo more than five decades after Ali–Foreman.
Tyson went a step further by saying organizers intend to use the very ring that staged the “Rumble in the Jungle” in 1974, when Ali stopped Foreman in the eighth round to reclaim the heavyweight title. That historical hook is central to the promotion, with social posts from outlets like TNT Sports and others amplifying Tyson’s claim that he and Mayweather will share the same canvas Ali once used to shock Foreman.
At the same time, formal confirmation of the exact venue and technical feasibility of using the original ring has not yet been issued by the promoters, leaving a gap between Tyson’s comments and official documentation.
Rule‑set details continue to emerge in pieces. Several reports state that the bout is expected to be eight two‑minute rounds with heavier gloves, likely 14 or 16 ounces, to soften impact and offset the significant size difference between the fighters. Tyson’s eight‑round reference reinforces that this is a non‑professional exhibition that will not affect either man’s official record. Even so, medical and regulatory concerns linger, with critics pointing to a combined age of more than 100 and the potential 70‑plus‑pound weight gap as factors that will put the spotlight on safety protocols if the April 25 Congo date is formally locked in.