Las Vegas-based BattleBots - one of the best-known event organisers in the fast-growing sport of robot fighting, with a hit US television series - has invited Tesla founder Elon Musk and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg to face off in a ferocious robot-on-robot fighting competition for the title of the most powerful tech CEO in the world.

The invitation follows the reported cancellation of a cage fight between the two tech giants after Musk’s mother, Maye, shared her opposition to the match online, tweeting that she “cancelled the fight.”

The two global tech moguls and their respective companies are invited to each design and build a formidable robot to fight in the 'BattleBox', a huge purpose-built robot combat arena in the centre of Las Vegas.

“This would unleash an epic battle of innovation, engineering and strategic brilliance,” said Trey Roski, co-creator of BattleBots. “I can’t think of anyone more qualified to create and fight two ultimate...