Floyd Mayweather has announced he will have his next fight against Andre Berto in Las Vegas on September 12.
The unbeaten pound-for-pound king of the sport will bid to extend his unbeaten record to 49 fights when he locks horns with fellow-American Berto at the MGM Grand Arena in what could be his last ever fight.
The 38-year-old defeated boxing great Manny Pacquiao on a unanimous points verdict in his latest fight in May and said afterwards he would retire after a final bout in September.
Mayweather will put his WBC and WBA welterweight titles on the line against the 31-year-old who is a two-time welterweight world champion himself and was once regarded as a rising star of the sport but he has lost three of his last six fights, having been unbeaten after his first 27.
Mayweather said: “I’m ready to get back in the ring on 12 September and prove again to the whole world why I’m ‘The Best Ever’.
“I always bring my A-game and this fight against Andre Berto is no exception. He’s a young, strong fighter who is hungry to take down the best. Forty-eight have tried before and, on 12 September, I’m going to make it 49.”
However, Berto claimed: “Somebody is getting knocked out and it won’t be me. You don’t want to miss this.
“Best believe that I plan to bring it to Floyd and I’m not concerned about what 48 other fighters have been unable to do.”
He also tweeted: “Promise you this I’m gonna be as ready as I’ve ever been. Don’t act surprised on 9/12.”
British welterweights Amir Khan and Kell Brook had both been hoping for a shot at Mayweather but Tuesday night’s announcement appears to have put paid to those hopes.
