Advancing rumors of an impending Floyd Mayweather comeback, a boxing website that specializes in compiling records and schedules has listed the Grand Rapids native as the first challenger to Victor Ortiz, the newly crowned welterweight champion, on Sept. 17.
A message seeking comment from Leonard Ellerbe, Mayweather’s adviser, went unreturned as of mid-afternoon Monday.
Richard Schaefer, chief executive of Golden Boy Promotions, was in a meeting, according to his assistant, and likewise had not returned a message seeking comment by mid-afternoon.
But a party close to the talks confirmed that a September fight against Ortiz is a strong possibility and that Mayweather is close to announcing his comeback after a year-long layoff.
Ortiz told a Kansas newspaper that he has targeted Mayweather as his next opponent, he has a contract under review, and that the fight is headed to Las Vegas.
But Boxrec.com reported that the fight would not go to the world’s fight capital, but rather to Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Mayweather met there with Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones during Super Bowl XLV.
Cowboys Stadium hosted a fight last year between Mayweather rival Manny Pacquiao and Joshua Clottey, after Jones actively pursued a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight.
Mayweather rejected the Texas site before talks with Pacquiao were scuttled.
Ortiz, however, offers a much more makable event: He is promoted by Golden Boy, which has promoted Mayweather’s fights since 2007; Schaefer immediately mentioned the desire to make the fight after Ortiz upset Andre Berto last month; and the 24-year-old, twice-beaten Ortiz could not refuse a payday beyond anything he ever imagined.
Ortiz decisioned Berto to win the World Boxing Council 147-pound title, which Mayweather once held.
Mayweather last fought when he defeated Shane Mosley on May 1, 2010. He has been embroiled in legal issues since then, while his ring return has been rumored for months.
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