Mayweather says money dispute foils Pacquiao fight hopes

Unbeaten US star Floyd Mayweather Jnr declared himself fit to fight after a rib injury delayed his comeback but says money demands have foiled a possible showdown with Manny Pacquiao.

Mayweather dismissed Pacquiao's claim to the world pound-for-pound throne Mayweather vacated by retiring in December of 2007, saying, "It's like a T-Bone steak. After I eat all the meat off the steak, they throw him the bone."

Mayweather, 39-0 with 25 knockouts, will fight Mexico's Juan Manuel Marquez, 50-4 with one drawn and 37 knockouts, on September 19 after this Saturday's planned date was scrapped over an injury whose origin Mayweather kept secret.

"It didn't come from sparring," Mayweather said.

"Freak accidents happen in training. It was just a freak accident.

"I tried to work through it but then it happened again and I'm like, 'I can't be a superhero. Take a little time off.' I healed. Now I'm ready to rock and roll.

"I can't wait to get back out there."

Mayweather will fight for the first time in 21 months, since a 10th-round stoppage of England's Ricky Hatton, who was flattened in the second round last May by Filipino star Pacquiao.

Interest is great for a Pacquiao-Mayweather showdown but Mayweather said the bout is unlikely because Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum seeks a 50-50 split of profits rather than a 60-40 break in Mayweather's favour.

"He wants a 50-50 split. That's never going to happen. If Bob Arum wasn't trying to be so greedy, that fight would happen," Mayweather said.

"It still is a business even if it is a sport."