Floyd Mayweather Jr. (48-0, 26 KO’s) is expected to fight former welterweight titlist Andre Berto at the MGM Grand on September 12th.
Although the fight has not been made official by Mayweather himself, he has already begun training, and TMZ Sports reportedly received confirmation from both camps earlier this week that the fight was on, including from Berto.
“It’s a pleasure and honor to be in this position and I’m looking forward to capitalizing on every moment of it.”
As we have reported on multiple occasions, Mayweather has retired and returned to the sport twice in the past. He retired following a split-decision victory over former six-division world champion Oscar De La Hoya in May 2007.
After Ricky Hatton knocked out Jose Luis Castillo a month after the De La Hoya fight, he said this to HBO’s Max Kellerman.
“There was more action in the four rounds of this fight than Floyd showed in his entire career.”
Mayweather became frustrated with the disrespect and came out of his retirement to fight Hatton later that December, a fight that he won convincingly with a 10th round TKO.
Again, Mayweather hung up the gloves only to return in 2009 to fight Juan Manuel Marquez. So when the WBA/WBC welterweight champ said that his final fight would be in September 2015, some questioned whether he was being serious.
In April, Mayweather said boxing was no longer fun.
“It is at a point where it is business. It is my job. I go to the gym; I train. I know what I have to do,” Mayweather said. “There was a time when it was fun, but I am to a point now where I am really over all of that stuff.”
Mayweather has a history of playing psychological games with his opponents, like former light-welterweight champion Amir Khan for example.
In early 2014, Mayweather held a poll to see who he would fight next, claiming that the fans would have a choice. Although Amir Khan beat out Marcos Maidana, the undisputed pound-for-pound king picked Maidana.
Mayweather’s next fight will be the final fight of a six-fight contract with Showtime/CBS. Mayweather signed the deal in early 2013, with Robert Guerrero selected as the first opponent.
According to sources who have spoken exclusively to Boxing Scene, CBS is in negotiations with Mayweather on a three-fight extension – and could explain why the Mayweather camp has been so ho-hum as of late.
However, Mayweather is still the one to decide at the end of the day whether he wants to continue his career or not. His father and trainer, Floyd Mayweather Sr., has advised him to retire, including his Uncle and co-trainer, Roger Mayweather.
Will Mayweather pull a Mark Martin and hang in there for another three fights, or is it time to ride off into the sunset? Time awaits, folks.
