| 1 | Mayweather announces Sept. |
| 2 | FILE - In this May 2, 2015, file photo, boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr., celebrates his unanimous decision victory over Manny Pacquiao, from the Philippines, after their welterweight title fight in Las Vegas. |
| 3 | Mayweather Jr. will return to the ring for the first time since boxing's richest fight ever, facing Andre Berto on Sept. |
| 4 | 12 in Las Vegas. |
| 5 | LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Floyd Mayweather Jr. will return to the ring for the first time since boxing's richest fight ever, facing Andre Berto on Sept. |
| 6 | 12 in what he has said will be his final fight. |
| 7 | The welterweight title bout doesn't figure to be nearly as lucrative as Mayweather's May 2 fight with Manny Pacquiao that earned him a reported $220 million. |
| 8 | But it will still be sold on pay-per-view, even though Mayweather will be an overwhelming favorite to win for the 49th time in as many fights as a pro. |
| 9 | Berto, a 2004 Olympian, was once thought of as a rising star but has lost three of his last six fights. |
| 10 | Two of those losses were to Robert Guerrero and Victor Ortiz, fighters that Mayweather beat easily. |
| 11 | ''I always bring my A-game and this fight against Andre Berto is no exception,'' Mayweather said in announcing the bout. |
| 12 | ''He's a young, strong fighter who is hungry to take down the best. |
| 13 | The fight is the last in a six-bout deal that Mayweather has with the Showtime network, and the boxer has said repeatedly he will retire when the deal is finished. |
| 14 | The 38-year-old retired once before, but came back to fight after taking a short break. |
| 15 | ''Floyd has been completely consistent and hasn't wavered a bit in saying this is his last fight,'' said Stephen Espinoza, executive vice president and general manager for Showtime Sports. |
| 16 | Espinoza dismissed criticism that the fight looks like a mismatch, saying there were complications trying to do a deal with Britain's Amir Khan and not a big pool of other fighters to choose from. |
| 17 | He said Berto will be aggressive against Mayweather, something Pacquiao was not able or willing to be in their fight. |
| 18 | ''He's one of those fighters who never fails to entertain,'' Espinoza said about Berto. |
| 19 | Mayweather waited until the last possible moment to announce the fight, which will take place at the MGM Grand arena where he won a unanimous decision over Pacquiao. |
| 20 | Mayweather and Berto will get together in Los Angeles on Thursday to promote the bout, which is less than six weeks away. |
| 21 | Berto (30-3) won his first 27 fights as a pro after losing in the first round of the Athens Olympics, winning a piece of the welterweight title along the way. |
| 22 | But he was then beaten by Ortiz and would go on to lose back-to-back fights to Guerrero and Jesus Soto Karass. |
| 23 | Berto, who has rebounded to win his last two fights, said he will prove his worth in his biggest bout ever. |
| 24 | ''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 said. |
| 25 | If Mayweather beats Berto he would improve to 49-0, matching the perfect record set by Rocky Marciano before he retired as heavyweight champion in 1956. |
| 26 | There has been speculation Mayweather would fight at least once more to break the record, perhaps opening the MGM's new arena on the Las Vegas Strip next spring. |
| 27 | Espinoza declined to say what he thought the Berto fight would sell on pay-per-view, coming on the heels of the record-setting 4.4 million buys of the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight. |
| 28 | It will, however, be cheaper, with a suggested price of $74.95 compared to $99.95 for Pacquiao. |
| 29 | Espinoza said Mayweather has done nearly 10 million PPV buys in his first five fights on the Showtime contract. |