May 13, (THEWILL) – The exhibition bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Don Moore, which was set to take place in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday, has been postponed, following the death of UAE President, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
The event, dubbed Global Titans Fight Series: The Showcase in the Skies of Dubai, was cancelled on Friday, as the demise of the president prompted the declaration of a three-day mourning period.
As THEWILL previously reported, Mayweather was slated to meet Moore, a longtime sparring partner, in an exhibition fight, while there was billed to be another bout between Anderson Silva and Bruno Machado.
With the postponement in place, Global Titans Fight Series said it hoped to reschedule the event with a date to be “announced very soon.”
The two bouts were set to take place on the helipad of the Burj Al Arab, which has previously hosted tennis legends Roger Federer and Andre Agassi, as well as golf icon Tiger Woods. It also hosted one of Anthony Joshua’s sparring sessions.
In August 2017, Mayweather fought UFC superstar Conor McGregor and won by TKO. It brought his career record to 50-0 for the five-division world champion.
“The Money”, as he self-styled himself, continued to compete in exhibitions, defeating Tenshin Nasukawa, a Japanese kickboxer, on New Year’s Eve 2018 and pulling his punches against YouTube celebrity Logan Paul in June.
In an Instagram message, the International Boxing Hall of Famer expressed his grief at Sheikh Khalifa’s demise. Mayweather posted, “Sending my condolences to the entire UAE.”
Silva, a former UFC middleweight champion, who last competed in the Octagon in October 2020, is 2-0 in boxing after returning to the ring last year. He has won fights against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Tito Ortiz.
Since beating Julio Cesar De Jesus in his second career battle in 2005, the 47-year-old Brazilian had not boxed. In his boxing debut in 1998, he was defeated by Osmar Luiz Teixeira.
It is unknown whether the Global Titans Fight Series will try to keep the event in Dubai or look for a different location.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
