LOS ANGELES, (Reuters) – The hotly anticipated welterweight fight between American Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez has been rescheduled for Sept. 19, organisers said yesterday.
Initially set for July 18 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, the non-title 12-round bout was postponed earlier this month after Mayweather suffered a rib injury during training.
The flamboyant 32-year-old, an undefeated five-division world champion, has since received clearance from doctors that he can compete on the revised date, three days after Mexican Independence Day, at the same venue.
“I am relieved to be cleared to fight as I was already looking forward to getting back in the ring,” Mayweather (39-0, 25 knockouts) said in a statement.
“September 19 is a great weekend for boxing and all of my fans, of which there are many Mexicans too, can hold on to their hats and sombreros when I get back in to the ring and show them what they have been missing these past 18 months.
“I will destroy Marquez and reclaim my rightful place as boxing’s pound-for-pound king all in one night.”
Mayweather, already accepted as one of the greatest boxers of any era, has has not fought since his 10th round stoppage of Britain’s Ricky Hatton in a WBC welterweight title bout in December 2007.
