Floyd Mayweather has announced he will fight UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor

Former  boxing world champion Floyd Mayweather has announced he will fight UFC lightweight champion Conor McGregor in Las Vegas on August 26.

The high-profile duo both took to Twitter on Wednesday evening to confirm the eagerly-awaited showdown will definitely be occurring.

 Mayweather said "it's official" on his Twitter account next to a picture of both fighters while McGregor had tweeted "THE FIGHT IS ON" several minutes earlier, cheekily posting a picture of himself adjacent to one of Mayweather's father, Floyd Sr.

The fight is to take place under normal boxing rules, despite McGregor having never boxed either as an amateur or professionally.
The 40-year-old Mayweather is unbeaten as a professional boxer and announced his retirement after winning his 49th consecutive bout against Andre Berto in September 2015.

The 28-year-old McGregor has been pushing for the fight for some time and it came together this week, with Nevada boxing officials approving the date on Wednesday.
Promoter Dana White told American sports broadcaster ESPN the fight will take place at the T-Mobile Arena and the pair will wear 10-ounce boxing gloves.
Mayweather has been installed as a heavy favourite by Las Vegas oddsmakers and many pundits dismiss McGregor's chances under boxing rules against one of the greatest defensive fighters in history.
However, the bout is sure to generate enormous interest and Mayweather will reportedly be paid over $100m US for the contest.