Elon Musk has said that his proposed cage fight with fellow tech titan Mark Zuckerberg will take place at an “epic location” in Italy as Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano 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 and Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano. “They have agreed on an epic location.”
Sangiuliano confirmed speaking to Musk about “how to organise a great charity event evoking history” but said any match “will not be held in Rome.”
Musk reportedly hoped the fight would take place in the ancient Colosseum – an idea he posted about in late June.
Sangiuliano said in a statement that any event with Musk would raise “a huge sum, many millions of euros, [that] will be donated to two important Italian paediatric hospitals.”
“It will also be an opportunity to promote our history and our archaeological, artistic and cultural heritage on a global scale,” he said.
Musk said “everything done will pay respect to the past and present of Italy” and that proceeds will “go to veterans.”
He said the cage match would be managed by foundations run by himself and Zuckerberg and not by UFC, a Las Vegas-based mixed martial arts promoter.
UFC boss Dana White, who reportedly still seeks participation in the event, said during Mike Tyson’s Hotboxin’ podcast this week that he believed the fight would generate $1 billion in revenue.
The two tech tycoons, who have occasionally jousted from afar, became direct competitors after Zuckerberg’s Meta launched its Twitter-like Threads platform in early July.
