LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Floyd Mayweather is coming out of retirement and will return to professional boxing after his exhibition fight with Mike Tyson this spring, he announced Friday.

Former multi-weight world champion Mayweather retired from boxing in 2017, unbeaten in 50 bouts, though he has appeared in several exhibition fights since.

“I still have what it takes to set more records in the sport of boxing,” Mayweather, 48, said in a statement to AFP.

“From my upcoming Mike Tyson event to my next professional fight afterwards — no one will generate a bigger gate, have a larger global broadcast audience and generate more money with each event — than my events.”

Mayweather has signed an exclusive agreement with promoter CSI Sports/Fight Sports, to begin following his as-yet undated Tyson bout.

A first professional fight is tentatively scheduled for this summer, against an opponent to be announced.

Details will be revealed “in the coming weeks,” said the statement.

Mayweather’s last professional bout was in 2017 against UFC star Conor McGregor.

He has continued to appear in exhibitions, including a victory over John Gotti III in Mexico in August 2024, as well as bouts with reality television stars and YouTube fighters.