‘King’ Mayweather returns

Sounding more like a politician who had reclaimed his seat in government than a boxer who was coming out of retirement, Floyd Mayweather Jr. announced Saturday that he will pick up where he left off.

"The king is back!" he said at a news conference at the MGM Grand Hotel, where he will face Juan Manuel Marquez on July 18 at the Grand Garden Arena. "I'm here to fight and reclaim what's mine."

The scheduled 12-round contest, which will be held at the welterweight level with a 143-pound weight limit. The Mayweather comeback will be televised on HBO Pay Per View. Ticket information is expected to be announced in the next couple of weeks.

Mayweather retired after knocking out Ricky Hatton on Dec. 8, 2007. At the time, he was undefeated at 39-0 with 25 knockouts and was considered the sport's best pound-for-pound fighter. But over time, Mayweather found that he missed being in the ring, and when Marquez beat Juan Diaz Feb. 28, that got the ball rolling on negotiations with Golden Boy Promotions, which will co-promote the fight with Mayweather's company.

"Yeah, I won't lie to you. I missed it," Mayweather said. "When I retired, I felt like it was time for me to go. But then I hear all these guys talking that they're the best fighter in the world. Everyone knows who the true pound-for-pound champ is -- me. It's going to be business as usual now that I'm back."

Mayweather's friend and senior adviser, Leonard Ellerbe, said Mayweather will make between $12 million and $14 million for the fight. Ellerbe noted that Mayweather did not come out of retirement because of financial problems.

"Floyd's fine (financially)," Ellerbe said. "All those rumors about him being broke, I'm not even going to justify those with an answer."

Speculation also had indicated that Mayweather was going to align himself with Don King. But that didn't happen.

"Yeah, we talked," Mayweather said of King. "I listened to what he had to say. But I'd never leave my friends for money."

Mayweather has been in the gym for a couple of months. Now that the fight officially is on, he said it's time to ramp up his regimen.

"I've been running seven, eight miles a day," he said. "The other day, I sparred eight rounds. When I know I have to go to work, I'm always ready."

For Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KOs), this is uncharted territory. If the fight indeed is at 143 pounds, it will mark a major step up in weight. The highest Marquez has fought at in his career is 135.

"I want to be in the best fights and to fight the best fighters, and Mayweather is the best fighter," Marquez said.

In a rare moment of humility, Mayweather gave Marquez his due, saying he was a worthy opponent. But he quickly went back to doing what he does best, which is promoting himself.

"A small man would never retire me," Mayweather said. "He's a good small man. I'm a great big man."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@ reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.