The newly-turned 37 year-old, who holds the WBC title at 147lbs, made the announcement via social media on Monday night after debating long and hard about whether to choose Maidana or British fighter Amir Khan.
Mayweather and Maidana will put their respective belts at a venue yet to be officially announced, ending weeks of speculation over who would be in the opposite corner to the world’s premier fighter in his first fight of the year.
Even a vote on the official Mayweather Promotion’s website gave nothing away as Maidana lost out to Khan by a wide margin at the end of the voting process on the website, with ‘Money’ instead siding with the eventual runner-up.
Rumours have Khan possibly now being matched-up with Maidana’s lastest victim Adrien Broner in the chief support bout on the night, although whether the former light-welterweight title holder would now accept any offer is up for debate.
Khan, 27, turned down a rock solid world title shot at the now former IBF champion Devon Alexander in favour of fighting Floyd, even going to far as stating a deal on his part was signed, but the Olympic silver medallist is now forced to re-evaluate his next move.
More details on the event are set to emerge in the coming days and weeks, with the waiting finally over, as all concerned can begin to focus on the spring date and what will surely be the event of the boxing year.
Follow on Twitter @PhilDJay for tweets of upcoming news on WBN
