FLOYD MAYWEATHER has announced he is making a boxing comeback – but only in a virtual sense.
The American went undefeated during his storied career and will now hope to maintain that dominance in simulated bouts after agreeing to put his digital likeness up against other boxing greats.
Floyd Mayweather is back in boxing – in a virtual platform competitionCredit: PA:Press Association
The joint venture between Mayweather, streaming platform fuboTV and virtual entertainment company FaceBank, allows for some of greatest fights of all time that never happened and could have never happened.
A statement about the joint venture read: “Resembling short films, these precise, real-time simulations will feature top-secret results based on a modeling computer that will make incremental relationships between actual performance, velocity of punches, speed of reaction, strategy and stamina.
“These unprecedented virtual boxing matches will be exclusive to live TV streaming platform fuboTV and pay-per-view partners to be announced.”
VIRTUAL SPORTS ALL THE RAGE
FaceBank will work with Mayweather to research and analyse photographic, filmed and mathematical representations of the boxer’s face and body to develop a comprehensive computer-generated ‘digital likeness’ of him.
The company expects to announce similar agreements with other boxing greats in the coming weeks.
Mayweather, who went 50-0 during his career, was famed for his defensive skills.
His precise footwork and elusive head movement made him an almost impossible target for even the best boxers in the world to land a glove on.
The last professional fight of Mayweather’s career came in August 2017 when he secured a 10th round TKO against Irish UFC star Conor McGregor.
FLOYD TO BECOME A TRAINER
But he has often teased a glorious return to boxing by posting intense workout videos on social media.
And SunSport has reported how Mayweather has announced his plan to become “one of the best trainers in the world” after being inspired by the death of his uncle and former coach Roger.
The 43-year-old paid tribute to Roger last month with a series of pictures of the pair after his passing aged 59.
With a whole host of events postponed or cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, fans have been left relying on virtual sports.
Last Saturday ITV broadcast a virtual Grand National after the original Aintree version was cancelled.
And the World Boxing Super Series are running their middleweight legends tournament using the legendary Fight Night computer game on the back of their hugely popular heavyweight version.
Mike Tyson outpointed Muhammad Ali in the final of that one in a real battle of boxing legends.
Floyd Mayweather’s last fight was a TKO win against Conor McGregorCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Floyd Mayweather turns trainer after being inspired by uncle Roger following his death and takes nephew, 14, under wing
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
