Floyd Mayweather Injures Rib, Postpones Comeback Fight

Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Juan Manuel Marquez

Floyd Mayweather Jr. has announced that he suffered a rib injury in training camp and will postpone his highly anticipated July 18 comeback fight against Juan Manuel Marquez.

"I am extremely disappointed that this fight has to be postponed," Mayweather said in a statement released by Golden Boy Promotions. "I was training very hard and looking forward to getting back in the ring on July 18th."

Both Mayweather and Marquez indicated that they expect to reschedule the fight as soon as Mayweather is healthy enough to resume training. No timeframe has been set.

"I was very disappointed to hear the news about the fight being postponed," Marquez said. "I will remain focused, in shape and ready to fight whenever the fight is rescheduled for."

In addition to delaying the Mayweather-Marquez fight, the injury represents another hurdle in the way of a fight between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Mayweather vs. Pacquiao is the fight every boxing fan desperately wants to see, but with Mayweather now out indefinitely, Pacquiao will likely schedule another fight in the mean time. Boxing fans who want to see the two best fighters in the world square off will have to wait until at least 2010.

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France's Cheik Kongo (below) and Cain Valasquez of the US fight at the "Mixed Martial Arts" cage fighting event in the western German city of Cologne on June 13, 2009. The event is the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to take place in Germany. AFP PHOTO DDP / HENNING KAISER GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read HENNING KAISER/AFP/Getty Images)

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France's Cheik Kongo (L) and Cain Valasquez of the US fight at the "Mixed Martial Arts" cage fighting event in the western German city of Cologne on June 13, 2009. The event is the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to take place in Germany. AFP PHOTO DDP / HENNING KAISER GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read HENNING KAISER/AFP/Getty Images)

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Boxer Miguel Cotto (R) from Puerto Rico delivers a punch against Joshua Clottey from Ghana during the seventh round of their WBO World Welterwight Title fight at Madison Square Garden in New York June 13, 2009. Cotto won the fight by a split decision. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton (UNITED STATES SPORT BOXING)

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Boxer Joshua Clottey (R) of Ghana lays on the mat after being knocked down Miguel Cotto from Puerto Rico during the first round of their WBO World Welterwight Title fight at Madison Square Garden in New York June 13, 2009. Cotto won the fight by a split decision. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton (UNITED STATES SPORT BOXING)

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TOPSHOTS Germany's Peter Sobotta (L) and Britain's Paul Taylor fight at the "Mixed Martial Arts" cage fighting event in the western German city of Cologne on June 13, 2009. The event is the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to take place in Germany. AFP PHOTO DDP / HENNING KAISER GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read HENNING KAISER/AFP/Getty Images)

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A ring girl announces the first round of the fight between Croatia's Mirko Cro Cop and Britain's Mustapha Al-Turk at the "Mixed Martial Arts" cage fighting event in the western German city of Cologne on June 13, 2009. The event is the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to take place in Germany. AFP PHOTO DDP / HENNING KAISER GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read HENNING KAISER/AFP/Getty Images)

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France's Cheik Kongo receives medical treatment during his fight against Cain Valasquez of the US at the "Mixed Martial Arts" cage fighting event in the western German city of Cologne on June 13, 2009. The event is the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to take place in Germany. AFP PHOTO DDP / HENNING KAISER GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read HENNING KAISER/AFP/Getty Images)

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Netherlands' Stefan Struwe (C) celebrates victory over Denis Stonic at the "Mixed Martial Arts" cage fighting event in the western German city of Cologne on June 13, 2009. The event is the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to take place in Germany. AFP PHOTO DDP / HENNING KAISER GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read HENNING KAISER/AFP/Getty Images)

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Netherlands' Stefan Struwe (R) receives medical treatment during his fight against Denis Stonic at the "Mixed Martial Arts" cage fighting event in the western German city of Cologne on June 13, 2009. The event is the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to take place in Germany. AFP PHOTO DDP / HENNING KAISER GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read HENNING KAISER/AFP/Getty Images)

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