Floyd Announces Ring Return in Thailand, Set to Face Aussie Boxer in Tune-Up Fight - Thairath English

Floyd Mayweather Jr. announced his return to the ring in Thailand on 19 December, calling it a warm-up fight before his 2027 bout with Ryan Garcia.

Floyd Mayweather Jr., the undefeated American boxing legend, announced he will return to the ring to face Matt Floyd, an Australian boxer, in an exhibition match in Bangkok, Thailand, on 19 December 2026. He confirmed this fight is a preparation before facing Ryan Garcia in 2027.

“This is a lil tune-up before me and Ryan Garcia lock up.” This means, "This is a small warm-up fight before I face Ryan Garcia."

Matt Floyd, aged 37, has a professional boxing record of 17 fights with 15 wins and 2 losses since turning pro in 2021. Although not yet a top-tier boxer, he recently made headlines by defeating Anthony Taylor, who was later disqualified, in the Misfits Boxing event last June. In September 2025, he lost to James DeGale, a former world champion, under bare-knuckle boxing rules.

Ryan Garcia, the 28-year-old WBC welterweight world champion, wants the fight with Mayweather to happen soon, setting 6 February 2027 as a key date. He insists he will fight on that day regardless of whether Mayweather is his opponent, and desires it to be a professional bout with a world championship belt at stake, not merely an exhibition.

However, Mayweather's comeback plans remain uncertain since he previously announced exhibition bouts with Mike Tyson and a rematch with Manny Pacquiao that did not materialize as scheduled. Additionally, a planned exhibition fight with Greek kickboxer Mike Zambidis also never took place.

Therefore, attention will focus on whether the fight on 19 December in Thailand will proceed as planned and if it will be a significant step toward the anticipated Mayweather vs. Garcia showdown in 2027.