Floyd Mayweather promises UAE return after showcasing his class in Abu Dhabi

Floyd Mayweather said he will fight again in the UAE later this year after headlining “Abu Dhabi Unity Boxing” at Etihad Arena in the capital on Saturday night.

The former five-weight world champion, who retired undefeated in 2017 following 50 professional bouts, headlined the bill with an eight-round exhibition fight against former sparring partner Don Moore.

The card had originally been scheduled for the inaugural Global Titans event in Dubai last weekend, but was on Friday moved to Abu Dhabi.

Clearly enjoying his time inside the ring, Mayweather was by far the more active of the two, often talking to Moore as he unleashed flurries of punches. The American, 45, also interacted with the crowd during rounds, much to their delight.

However, given it was an exhibition, no scores or winner was announced.

Speaking afterwards inside the ring, Mayweather thanked the UAE for hosting the event, saying he had “waited 26 years for this”.

Mayweather then promised to compete again in the Emirates before the end of the year, although he stopped short of saying against whom, adding: “It’s a secret. I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag right now, but we have an opponent. And we had to choose a place. And the place I choose is the UAE.”

Not long before Mayweather took to the ring, UFC great Anderson Silva got the better of UAE Warriors lightweight champion Bruno Machado – and fellow Brazilian - in another eight-round bout.

Silva, the former UFC middleweight champion and considered by many one of the greatest mixed martial artists of all-time, knocked down Machado right at the end of the fifth round, connecting with a crushing right hook to floor the Abu Dhabi resident following a flurry of punches on the ropes.

To his credit,