By Kwame Bediako
Boxing fans can finally mark their calendars for the blockbuster exhibition between Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather Jr., set for April 25 in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Tyson had teased a March showdown somewhere in Africa, but this confirmed date and location ramps up the hype for a fight decades in the making.
The matchup, spotlighting two of the sport’s defining figures over the last 40 years, was first teased last year with zero specifics on timing or turf. Details were scarce until now, leaving enthusiasts buzzing about what rules, or weight class will govern this spectacle.
Choosing DR. Congo, once known as Zaire, nods to boxing immortality. The site famously staged the 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle,” Muhammad Ali’s masterful rope-a-dope upset over George Foreman.
That Don King-promoted epic drew the world to Kinshasa, and promoters hope to recapture that thunder for Tyson-Mayweather.
Tyson, now 59, retired years ago but stays a pop culture titan. His gritty November 2024 exhibition against Jake Paul exploded with more than 100 million viewers, proving the ex-heavyweight king’s enduring pull.
Mayweather, turning 49 soon, closed his pro career with a TKO win over Conor McGregor in 2017, capping a flawless 50-0 run across five divisions, up to 154 pounds. The defensive maestro has excelled in exhibitions since, setting the stage for this intriguing generational tilt.
