There has been no solid news about the long-discussed rematch between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, initially announced for Saturday, September 19, at the Sphere in Las Vegas, except that it won’t be held there. (The Eagles have extended their summer residency there, including on September 19).
In the meantime, an official announcement made today at a news conference in Las Vegas at the Mayweather Boxing Club confirmed Mayweather will face former kickboxing champion “Iron” Mike Zambidis in a matchup described as a “full-contact exhibition.” Mayweather revealed the matchup on his Instagram feed in March.
“Battle of the Legends: Mayweather vs Zambidis” is scheduled on Saturday, June 27, at the OAKA Olympic Complex in Athens, Greece. The number of rounds was not revealed.
The event is a pay-per-view presented live by Frontrow Fight Series, Mayweather Promotions, and Zambidis Club from the Telekom Center, Athens at OAKA Olympic Complex in Athens, Greece. No details yet on the price point. Tickets are on sale via More.com.
Floyd Mayweather Not Risking His Record Here
One of the best pound-for-pound fighters of all time, Floyd Mayweather compiled a perfect 50-0 record, winning 15 major world championships in five weight divisions from super featherweight to light middleweight.
Mayweather was named “Fighter of the Decade” for the 2010s by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) and The Sporting News. He is also a three-time winner of the BWAA Fighter of the Year and a six-time winner of the ESPY Award’s Best Fighter.
In 2016, ESPN ranked him the greatest boxer of the last 25 years. The Ring ranked him the greatest boxer, pound-for-pound, of the 21st century.
After Mayweather retired in 2017, he has fought a number of high-profile, big-money exhibitions around the world, including in Dubai, Japan, and the UK against kickboxers, YouTubers, and MMA fighters. Among his foes: Tenshin Nasukawa, Logan Paul, and Deji.
Rumors of a matchup between Mayweather and Mike Tyson this year have swirled for months. Tyson hasn’t confirmed whether the proposed exhibition will actually happen or not.
Netflix announced the Mayweather vs Pacquiao 2 rematch in February. The graphic and promotional materials are still on the Netflix website. But when Mayweather insisted the matchup was an exhibition and not a sanctioned fight, Pacquiao pushed back. The nature of the negotiations and the matchup are still in limbo.
When asked about the fight’s status at Thursday’s news conference, Mayweather is quoted by multiple outlets as saying, “We’re almost on the finish line to finish the Pacquiao fight. Eventually within the next 48 hours the Pacquiao fight should be done.” Stay tuned, but don’t make non-refundable travel plans.
Meanwhile, Mayweather is reported to be broke. On April 15 (how fitting), the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported the IRS filed a $7.3 million lien against Mayweather for back taxes and interest.
Mayweather filed a lawsuit against Showtime Networks for over $300 million, alleging he is missing significant funds from his career earnings, estimated at over $1 billion in total.
Who is Mike Zambidis?
Following in the wake of kickboxer Rico Verhoevan facing Oleksandr Usyk later this month, Mike Zambidis gets his opportunity to earn a big payday.
Zambidis is a Greek kickboxer and 18-time world champion, best known for his career in K-1 MAX. A former member of the Greek National Boxing Team, Zambidis was part of the pre-Olympic squad for the 2000 Sydney Games.
During his record-breaking boxing and kickboxing careers, Zambidis compiled a record of 158-22 with 87 knockouts against the best kickboxers in the world.
Zambidis’ fights receive record television viewership in his native Greece, and his knockout victory over Chahid “The Pitbull” Oulad El Hadj in 2013 is widely regarded as among the best fights in kickboxing history. We found the video so you could judge for yourself.
A native of Athens, Zambidis also owns gyms, the Zambidis Clubs. He currently serves as Chairman of the Sports and Education Committee in the Region of Attica with the vision of “Evolution and Contribution.”
Mayweather: Opportunity to Sharpen My Skills
“This is an opportunity for me to sharpen my skills for what’s to come this year,” said Mayweather. “I’ve never fought in Greece before, but I look forward to experiencing their beautiful country and meeting their people.
“Mike Zambidis has achieved a lot in his sport, but I’ve stayed sharp and I’m ready for anything thrown my way.”
“It’s an incredible thrill for me to face the great Floyd Mayweather,” said Zambidis. “I have faced many of the best fighters of several disciplines, but I am looking forward to testing my skills against one of the greatest boxers of all time, and I’m very happy to be having this experience in front of my beloved Greek people.”
Keane Anis is the CEO of Frontrow Fight Series and Front Row Entertainment and has partnered with Mayweather on previous exhibitions.
“This is an important event for the people of Greece and fight fans worldwide who wonder what would happen if two of the world’s best collided,” said Anis. “Like our previous events with Floyd Mayweather, this, too, will be a great success, as I’m sure the people in Athens and viewers around the world will enjoy ‘The Best Ever’s’ return to the ring in this exhibition.”
Gayle Falkenthal is an award-winning boxing journalist with more than four dozen awards for both written and video coverage from the Boxing Writers Association of America, Society of Professional Journalists, and San Diego Press Club, where she is the past president. She is the only woman journalist who is a full voting member of the BWAA. She is the Boxing Editor for NY Fights based in San Diego, California.