Floyd Mayweather will fight in the UK for the first time next month

Floyd Mayweather will fight for the first time in the UK next month – but it won’t be against Liam Harrison as the kickboxing legend pulled out just six hours after Mayweather confirmed the fight.

The pair were set to meet in an exhibition bout at the 02 Arena on February 25 after Mayweather shared the news on his Instagram.

He had said: ‘London February 25th, It’s official. My first exhibition fight in the UK will be at the O2 Arena. Tickets go on sale next week. Stay Tuned!!’

Floyd Mayweather will fight for the first time in the UK next month during his exhibition tour

However, Harrison then announced he would be pulling out of the fight just hours later due to injury, in what will go down as one of the quickest fight withdrawals in history.

He said: ‘Many of you will have seen the announcement this morning about my fight against Floyd Mayweather.

‘Devastatingly, my knee just won’t allow it. Discussions about the fight started a few days ago with the Mayweather team and I honestly thought I would be ok in a boxing fight, even with needing surgery on my knee.

‘I upped my training as soon as discussions started and had some hard sparring and pads but almost immediately my knee had ballooned up and I can’t walk. Hitting pads is fine but the movement and agility needed to spar and especially fight just isn’t possible.

But it won’t be against scheduled opponent Liam Harrison after he pulled out just six hours after Mayweather had confirmed the fight due to injury

Harrison revealed he wouldn’t be able to fight due to problems with his knee in training

‘My surgeon is in agreement that this won’t be possible and I am absolutely heart broken. This fight and everything that would have come with it would have changed my life.’

Harrison also confirmed that no contract had been broken by him pulling out and hailed Mayweather as a boxer.

He added: ‘Furthermore, no contract for this had been received or signed. I’m exclusively contracted to ONE and I had approached them for permission and sign off. Without receipt of the contract and ONE’s review and approval of this, nothing was confirmed.

The legendary boxer will now need to find a new opponent after Harrison’s injury withdrawal

Mayweather has taken part in exhibition fights against the likes of Logan Paul in recent years

‘Floyd is the greatest boxer of all time and I would have wanted to put in a good account of myself. Not just for me but for the whole muaythai community…

‘I’m seriously flattered to have even be approached for this fight and I really think I could have done well in it. But, as things stand, I’m going to have to stick to my surgery next week,

‘I really hope when I’m recovered we can make this fight happen

Legendary boxer Mayweather, 46, has not fought in a professional bout since 2017, but he has taken part in several exhbition fights against the likes of Logan Paul, Deji and Mikuru Asakura over recent years. 

His last fight in his official boxing career was in 2017, when he defeated MMA star Conor McGregor to extend his fighting record to 50-0, with 27 KOs.

He was best known during his career for his famous victories against fighters such as Ricky Hatton, Oscar de la Hoya and Manny Pacquiao among others. 

Mayweather never fought outside the US during his decorated professional boxing career

The American ended his professional boxing career with a record of to 50-0, with 27 KOs

He never fought outside the USA while he was a professional boxer, but suggested he would fight in England for the first time when discussing his exhibition tour earlier in January.

He had said: ‘In February we’re looking forward to coming here and putting on an exhibition for the fans in the UK, because I never had a chance to come over here and fight when I was actively boxing as a professional.

‘So hopefully in February I’ll come over and do an exhibition if it’s possible.’ 

Harrison, is a decorated Muay Thai fighter who hails from Leeds and has a record of 90 wins, 25 losses and two draws in his career – with 50 of his wins by KO.

After his withdrawl, Mayweather will hope to find a replacement for his scheduled fight at the 02 next month.