“I am surprised a bit about the timing of it, but if he decides he wants to retire, that is his right,” Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer told The Associated Press. “We did not announce that fight (between Mayweather and De La Hoya), so I can’t really say that something fell apart. Floyd was certainly the name that we were focusing on for a September fight, so now we will go down the list and find, I’m sure, other names that will ensure a megafight.”

Schaefer confirmed De La Hoya still intends to fight Sept. 20. Several welterweights will jockey for the chance to meet him in a guaranteed big payday, while every big name in boxing’s middle weight classes from Hatton to Manny Pacquiao also could get in the mix.

Mayweather rose swiftly through the sport after his solid effort in the Atlanta Games. With peerless hand speed, superb athleticism and a grinning swagger, Mayweather won his first title at 130 pounds in October 1998, upsetting Genaro Hernandez.

He grabbed a lightweight crown in 2002 with back-to-back wins over Jose Luis Castillo, and he beat Arturo Gatti in June 2005 for the light welterweight title. Mayweather then won the IBF welterweight belt by beating Zab Judah in April 2006, and he added a light middleweight crown against De La Hoya last year.

“I am sorry I have to leave the sport at this time, knowing I still have my God-given abilities to succeed and future multi-million dollar paydays ahead, including the one right around the corner,” Mayweather said.

Arum, who fostered Mayweather’s development into a dominant champion before their acrimonious split, knows many fans still won’t believe Mayweather is truly finished.

“You never know, but I will say the language was different this time,” Arum said. “This time the language sounds like he might be done for good. ... I can hardly blame him (for retiring). We should commend him for what he’s done. He’s retiring at the height. Is there anything greater than that?”

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