Floyd Mayweather Jr., a former five-division champion and one of the top pound-for-pound stars of the era, will end a 16-month layoff when he challenges welterweight titlist Victor Ortiz on Sept. 17.
"My fans have been waiting long enough. Floyd Mayweather vs. Victor Ortiz. Sept 17, 2011 for the WBC world championship," Mayweather tweeted Tuesday afternoon to make the announcement.
Details of the pay-per-view fight, including which network will handle it and the specific site, are being worked out, Golden Boy's Richard Schaefer, Ortiz's promoter, told ESPN.com.
But Mayweather said he will be ready.
"I am ready to return to the ring and give my fans a fantastic night of boxing by fighting the best out there and for me, that is Victor Ortiz," Mayweather said. "He is the current champion and an extremely talented fighter who showed amazing skills, and heart, in his last performance against Andre Berto.
"At this stage of my career, these are the challenges I look for, a young, strong, rising star looking to make his mark in boxing by beating me. Like the rest of my opponents, he is going to try to prove that he can beat me. I commend him for accepting the fight, but on Sept. 17, Ortiz is just going to be another casualty, the 42nd one who tried and failed. Trust me, I will be ready."
Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KOs), 24, was the 2008 ESPN.com prospect of the year and one of boxing's rising stars. The southpaw from Garden City, Kan., now based in Oxnard, Calif., moved up from junior welterweight and outpointed Berto to win a welterweight title on April 16. It was a thrilling fight a leading fight of the year candidate -- in which Ortiz and Berto both were knocked down twice. Mayweather was scouting out Ortiz at this fight is now obvious.
FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR. QUICK FACTS Birth date: Feb. 24, 1977
Birthplace: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Turned pro: 1996
Weight class: Welterweight
Height: 5-foot-8
Pro fights: 41
Record: 41-0-0
Wins by KO: 25
FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR. BOXING RECORD
41-0-0, 25 KO
Date-Weight-Oppo-Res
5/1/2010 146 Shane Mosley Win UD, 12
9/19/2009 146 Juan Manuel Marquez Win UD, 12
12/8/2007 147 Ricky Hatton Win TKO, 10
5/5/2007 150 Oscar De La Hoya Win SD, 12
11/4/2006 146 Carlos Baldomir Win UD, 12
4/8/2006 146 Zab Judah Win UD, 12
11/19/2005 147 Sharmba Mitchell Win TKO, 6
6/25/2005 139 Arturo Gatti Win TKO, 6
1/22/2005 139 Henry Bruseles Win TKO, 8
5/22/2004 140 DeMarcus Corley Win UD, 12
11/1/2003 135 Phillip N'dou Win TKO, 7
4/19/2003 134 Victoriano Sosa Win UD, 12
12/7/2002 134 Jose Luis Castillo Win UD, 12
4/20/2002 134 Jose Luis Castillo Win UD, 12
11/10/2001 129½ Jesus Chavez Win TKO, 9
5/26/2001 130 Carlos Hernandez Win UD, 12
1/20/2001 130 Diego Corrales Win TKO, 10
10/21/2000 134 Emanuel Augustus Win TKO, 9
3/18/2000 130 Gregorio Vargas Win UD, 12
9/11/1999 130 Carlos Gerena Win TKO, 7
5/22/1999 130 Justin Juuko Win KO, 9
2/17/1999 130 Carlos Rios Win UD, 12
12/19/1998 130 Angel Manfredy Win TKO, 2
10/3/1998 130 Genaro Hernandez Win TKO, 8
6/14/1998 130 Tony Pep Win UD, 10
4/18/1998 130¼ Gustavo Cuello Win UD, 10
3/23/1998 133 Miguel Melo Win TKO, 3
2/28/1998 130 Sam Girard Win KO, 2
1/9/1998 132 Hector Arroyo Win TKO, 5
11/20/1997 130 Angelo Nunez Win TKO, 3
10/14/1997 133½ Felipe Garcia Win KO, 6
9/6/1997 131 Louie Leija Win TKO, 2
7/12/1997 130½ Jesus Chavez Win TKO, 5
6/14/1997 132 Larry O'Shields Win UD, 6
5/9/1997 129½ Tony Duran Win TKO, 1
4/12/1997 132 Bobby Giepert Win KO, 1
3/12/1997 132 Kino Rodriguez Win TKO, 1
2/1/1997 133 Edgar Ayala Win TKO, 2
1/18/1997 130 Jerry Cooper Win TKO, 1
11/30/1996 131 Reggie Sanders Win UD, 4
10/11/1996 131 Roberto Apodaca Win TKO, 2