Musk says cage fight with Zuckerberg will be in Italy

(FILES) (COMBO/FILES) This combination of file photographs created on June 22, 2023 shows SpaceX, X (ex-Twitter) and electric car maker Tesla CEO Elon Musk during his visit at the Vivatech technology startups and innovation fair at the Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris on June 16, 2023 (R) and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg testifying before the House Financial Services Committee in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, DC on October 23, 2019. – Elon Musk said on August 5, 2023 that the “cage match” he and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg have seemingly agreed to as a fund-raiser will be carried live on X, formerly known as Twitter, which he owns. (Photo by Mandel NGAN and Alain JOCARD / AFP)

Elon Musk said Friday that his much-hyped cage fight with Mark Zuckerberg would take place in Italy, as authorities there confirmed talks about hosting a “great charity event.”

While any showdown between the two tech titans has yet to be officially confirmed, Musk said on his X social media platform — formerly known as Twitter — that arrangements were advancing.

“I spoke to the PM of Italy and Minister of Culture,” Musk wrote, referring to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. “They have agreed on an epic location.”

Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano confirmed speaking to Musk about “how to organize a great charity event evoking history” but said any match “will not be held in Rome.”

Musk apparently hopes the fight would take place in the ancient Colosseum, a UNESCO World Heritage site, posting about the idea in late June.

In a statement, Sangiuliano said any event with Musk would raise “a huge sum, many millions of euros, (that) will be donated to two important Italian pediatric hospitals.”

“It will also be an