Floyd Mayweather, Anderson Silva Dubai Boxing Exhibition Card Rescheduled for May 21
May 17, 2022
Floyd Mayweather Jr. has a new date for his exhibition match against Don Moore after it was postponed following the death of United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The legendary boxer announced on Instagram that the match will take place Saturday on a helipad in Dubai. Former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva will also be on the card.
"The Showcase in the Skies of Dubai" was originally scheduled for last Saturday, but Sheikh Khalifa's death led to a three-day suspension of work in the nation. It was initially believed that the boxing event would be canceled, but the Global Titans Fight Series released a statement saying it intended to find a new date for the spectacle.
However, it is still a surprise that someone of Mayweather's stature would announce a fight date just four days before the bout, especially considering that the event's promotion took a hit with the postponement.
The 45-year-old Mayweather retired from professional boxing in 2017 with a record of 50-0. His last pro bout against Conor McGregor earned him a nine-figure payday, solidifying Mayweather as one of the most lucrative pay-per-view draws of all time.
Since his retirement, Mayweather faced kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa in an exhibition in Japan in 2018 and followed that up with an exhibition against YouTube star Logan Paul last June. He knocked out Nasukawa, but his fight against Paul went the distance and no winner was declared.
In Moore, he's facing fellow undefeated boxer at 18-0-1 with 12 KOs. It is unclear if their match will be judged to determine a winner.
Silva will meet Bruno Machado on the undercard. The legendary MMA fighter is coming off a first-round knockout of Tito Ortiz in September. Last June, the 47-year-old surprised many when he earned a split-decision win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.