Floyd Mayweather continues to be linked to a professional comeback, seemingly willing to put his iconic 50-0 record on the line in a bid for Ryan Garcia’s WBC welterweight world championship. Now, WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman has responded to the reports.
Mayweather has not fought professionally since 2017 when he stopped Conor McGregor to secure his landmark half-century of successes, but he has been rumoured to be returning to the ring throughout 2026, and even announced a rematch with fierce rival Manny Pacquiao.
However, whilst their second encounter was postponed indefinitely, “TBE” has also been mentioned for a possible challenge for Garcia’s 147lb world title, where a win could see him become the oldest world champion in boxing history.
Speaking with Fight Hub TV, Sulaiman compared Mayweather’s potential comeback to that of other legends and said that he would be permitted to compete for the WBC crown should he pass the necessary medical examinations.
“Ryan fought the mandatory, Conor Benn. We mandated that at the last convention. You can never count out Floyd Mayweather.
“We have so many examples, most of them are bad examples; Muhammad Ali, [Julio Cesar] Chavez, those great champions that end their career on a low, [Mike] Tyson.
“But, there are also good examples [like] Manny [Pacquiao], he was criticised and we were criticised for allowing that fight and he almost became champion. There are also [Daniel] Zaragoza, Sergio Martinez.
“It is a matter of evaluating if Floyd has full medicals and has a boxing license. The rules of the WBC rule book allow him to fight for the title.”
Garcia is expected to return to action on Saturday, February 6, with, according to him, both Mayweather and current WBA welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez in the running to be his opponent.
The potential matchup between the legendary undefeated former multi-division world champion and the hard-hitting Ryan Garcia has captured the imagination of the global boxing community, sparking intense debate among analysts, former fighters, and fans alike. Mayweather, widely regarded as one of the most defensively gifted and tactically astute fighters in the history of the sport, walked away from professional prize fighting following his tenth-round technical knockout victory over mixed martial arts superstar Conor McGregor in August 2017 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. That triumph allowed him to surpass heavyweight great Rocky Marciano’s legendary 49-0 benchmark, cementing his legacy at 50-0. In the years since that milestone evening, Mayweather has remained active in the public eye through a lucrative series of exhibition bouts across the globe, yet rumours regarding a sensational return to sanctioned, professional competition have never truly subsided.
The narrative surrounding a potential return gained significant momentum amid talks of a heavily anticipated rematch against Manny Pacquiao. The two modern icons previously shared the ring in May 2015 in what became the highest-grossing pay-per-view event in boxing history, a bout that Mayweather decisively won via unanimous decision. While plans for their second professional encounter were ultimately postponed indefinitely, leaving fans wondering if the legendary pairing will ever share the canvas again, the focus quickly shifted toward other high-profile opportunities. Chief among these alternative scenarios is a direct challenge to Ryan Garcia, who currently holds the prestigious WBC welterweight world championship. Securing a victory at 147 pounds against a dangerous and youthful champion like Garcia would not only enhance Mayweather’s legendary resume in unprecedented fashion but would also etch his name deeper into the history books by making him the oldest world champion in the storied history of professional boxing.
Addressing these swirling rumours during his interview with Fight Hub TV, Mauricio Sulaiman provided crucial regulatory perspective on how the World Boxing Council would approach such an unprecedented sanctioning request. Sulaiman acknowledged the unique landscape of boxing politics and the historical precedent surrounding legendary fighters attempting high-stakes comebacks later in their lives. By highlighting that Garcia has already fulfilled his mandatory obligations—having faced Conor Benn as mandated during the organization’s previous annual convention—the path for a voluntary defense or a lucrative marquee matchup remains administratively plausible within the organization’s governance framework. Sulaiman’s remarks underscore the delicate balance boxing sanctioning bodies must maintain between commercial appeal and the strict enforcement of sporting regulations designed to preserve the integrity and competitive balance of world title bouts.
Delving deeper into the historical context of fighters attempting to recapture past glories, Sulaiman offered a balanced assessment of legendary comebacks through the decades. He pointed out the sobering cautionary tales of icons such as Muhammad Ali, Julio Cesar Chavez, and Mike Tyson, whose later-career ring appearances frequently served as stark reminders of the brutal and unforgiving nature of combat sports, often ending in difficult defeats that tarnished the final chapters of otherwise flawless legacies. However, the WBC President was equally quick to highlight successful or competitive late-career campaigns that defied conventional athletic expectations. He cited Manny Pacquiao’s impressive late-career resurgence, along with the notable championship aspirations and reigns of Daniel Zaragoza and Sergio Martinez, demonstrating that exceptional athletic discipline and ring IQ can occasionally defy the passage of time.
Ultimately, Sulaiman emphasized that any prospective championship opportunity for Mayweather would hinge entirely upon strict regulatory compliance, rigorous safety evaluations, and the administrative approval of athletic commissions. Before any belt could be formally put on the line, the regulatory bodies would mandate comprehensive medical evaluations to ensure that the former pound-for-pound king is fully fit to absorb the physical rigors of a championship-level prizefight at the elite 147-pound limit. Furthermore, Mayweather would need to secure a valid professional boxing license, satisfying all statutory requirements enforced by the relevant state athletic commission governing the event. With Garcia currently preparing for his anticipated return to the ring on Saturday, February 6, and publicly naming both Mayweather and WBA titleholder Teofimo Lopez as potential adversaries for his upcoming campaign, the coming weeks promise to provide further clarity on whether this extraordinary chapter in modern boxing history will transition from speculation into tangible reality.
