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Not Pacquiao, not Tyson – but Mayweather linked to the “Iron Mike” exhibition.

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Mayweather vs Zambidis 1200

Floyd Mayweather will not fight Manny Pacquiao next. He won’t fight Mike Tyson next either.

Instead, Mayweather was linked to an exhibition against another “Iron Mike,” and Greek kickboxing icon Michalis Zambidis announced plans for a summer event in Athens.

No Pacquiao, no Tyson as Zambidis announces Athens date

Zambidis shared a promotional poster on Instagram, advertising the bout as a “Battle of the Legends” and announcing it on Saturday, June 27, 2026, at the OAKA Arena (Telekom Center) in Athens, Greece.

The poster lists Mayweather Promotions, Zambidis Club and Front Row Fight Series as promoters and promises a global live broadcast, although no broadcaster has been confirmed.

At the time of publication, Mayweather had not publicly confirmed his participation.

Two exhibitions that were long talked about never became a reality

Zambidis’ announcement comes after two Mayweather exhibition ideas made noise but never reached a finalized deal.

Mayweather was previously expected to face Mike Tyson in March in Africa, but that fight did not happen and discussions about it have since died down.

Pacquiao also announced talks in 2025. World Boxing News obtained details at the time exclusively from the company claiming to be promoting the event, but no agreement has been finalized.

Another Kickboxer connection fits Mayweather’s exhibition belt

If it goes ahead, the Zambidis fight will be at least the second time Mayweather has teamed up with a kickboxer outdoors, following his 2018 fight against Tenshin Nasukawa in Japan.

No rules or format have been confirmed for the proposed Athens event. However, Mayweather’s exhibition career has consistently leaned toward controlled, special-event fights rather than sanctioned comebacks.

For now, the story is basic: Pacquiao and Tyson didn’t happen, and Zambidis set a recent date. Whether this becomes a reality depends on Mayweather’s confirmation and other details, including the broadcast plan, being finalized.


About the author

Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN), boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.

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Boxing

Ryan Garcia wants to train with Naoya Inoue in Tokyo and broadcast it live

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Image: Ryan Garcia Wants To Train With Naoya Inoue In Tokyo And Stream It

The proposed sessions would bring together two world champions from different weight categories. Ryan currently holds the WBC welterweight title and Inoue is the undisputed junior featherweight champion.

A notable part of Ryan’s post was his willingness to stream workouts.

One of the things Ryan mentioned in his X post was his desire to stream workouts. Ryan didn’t say whether he would bring the idea to Naoya to see if he agreed with it or not, nor did he give a date when he would train with the Japanese star.

At this stage, Ryan’s comments appear to reflect purpose rather than final findings. Although he has publicly outlined the plan, Inoue has not announced any potential training session.

If training takes place, they will bring together champions separated by more than 20 pounds in weight. Ryan is fighting in the welterweight division, and Inoue is building his championship streak in the junior featherweight division.

The idea remains one Ryan hopes to implement during his visit to Tokyo, with the added possibility of giving fans a glimpse of the session via livestream.

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Tyson Fury ‘very interested’ in fighting ‘one of the most avoided heavyweights’: ‘Let’s do it’

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Tyson Fury ‘very interested’ in facing ‘one of the most avoided heavyweights’: “Let’s make it happen”

Tyson Fury is set to take part in the long-awaited clash with Anthony Joshua, but first he needs a warm-up. Now another challenger has been added to the fight, and Fury is “very interested” in the proposed fight.

The long-awaited clash between Fury and Joshua has finally been signed and will take place pending success in their tune-up fights. While Joshua is scheduled to face Kristian Prenga next month, Fury remains without an opponent for his August outing.

Promoter Frank Warren promised a “good” opponent but he recently ruled out the possibility of the “Gypsy King” facing Joshua’s former defeater Andy Ruiz Jr., who is believed to have priced himself out of the fight.

I’m talking to Play UKJoshua’s other rival, Jarrell Miller, has revealed that Fury is “very interested” in fighting him as he discusses a potential all-American clash with Deontay Wilder.

“I’ve been one of the most avoided heavyweights for a long time. We’re seeing it now. We’re trying to get Deontay Wilder out there. There’s no fight in front of him. I’m the top heavyweight in America right now, so we’re trying to make certain things happen. Let’s see if he can take control.”

“Tyson Fury is also very interested. I would love to fight these guys. Deontay or Tyson would be a wonderful fight for me. Let’s see if we can make it happen.”

Fury’s manager, Spencer Brown, recently confirmed both fighters’ desire to make the fight happen, but said Miller would likely not be able to complete a full training camp on time.

The American has already scored two victories in 2026, defeating both Kingsley Ibeh and Lenier Pero, and the 37-year-old hopes those triumphs will earn him another chance on the huge stage.

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Zuffa Boxing Dublin card confirmed for August 8 at 3Arena

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Zuffa Boxing has announced that its first event in Ireland, branded Zuffa Boxing 10, will take place on Saturday, August 8 at the 3Arena in Dublin. Organizers of the promotion, headed by Dana White, said details about the main event, joint performance and ticket sales will be announced soon.

According to the promotion, the card will be broadcast on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland and streamed on Paramount+ in the US and Canada. Its broadcasts in the UK and Ireland are covered by a long-term contract with Sky Sports announced in March.

The expected headliner of the Cork middleweight gala will be Callum Walsh (16-0, 11 KO). according to 42 and Irish boxing, although Zuffa has not confirmed this card. Walsh won Zuffa Boxing’s debut event on January 23 in Las Vegas with a unanimous decision over Carlos Ocampo and has not fought since. The Cobh native, trained by Freddie Roach, fought mainly in the United States, but once boxed in Dublin, headlining the 3Arena gala after his victory over Przemysław Runowski.

The 42 reports that Monaghan’s Aaron McKenna (20-0, 10 KO) is set to be the main support for an IBF middleweight world title fight against Italian Etinosa Oliha (22-0, 10 KO). Both pairs are expected to fight for the vacant belt that became available after Janibek Alimkhanuly was stripped of his belt following a failed anti-doping test. McKenna is third in the IBF rankings and Oliha is second.

Dublin will be Zuffa Boxing’s second card outside the United States. The first event, Zuffa Boxing 07, will take place this Saturday at the Bournemouth International Center in England, where former world cruiserweight champion Chris Billam-Smith will face Ryan Rozicki in a 10-round cruiserweight main event.

The August 8 date means the Dublin gala will take place a week after Queensberry Promotions’ show at the same venue, headlined by Pierce O’Leary against Mark Chamberlain, with Tyson Fury scheduled to appear.

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