Pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather Jr. said "I truly appreciate" being the recipient of the Sugar Ray Robinson award for the 2013 Fighter of the Year from the Boxing Writers Association of America, an honor the undefeated boxer is receiving for the second time.

"It is a great honor to be voted by the BWAA as Fighter of the Year. To be recognized by this organization is special and I truly appreciate it," said Mayweather, who turns 37 next month. "It is a great honor to be voted by the BWAA as Fighter of the Year. To be recognized by this organization is special and I truly appreciate it."

Last September, Mayweather (45-0, 26 knockouts) dethroned Canel Alvarez by majority decision for the RING and WBC 154-pound championships in a bout that became the highest-grossing boxing event of all time with nearly $150 million in revenue reported.

Mayweather-Alvarez surpassed the $136 million earned by Mayweather’s victory over Oscar De La Hoya in 2007, which was the last year that Mayweather was named the BWAA's Fighter of  the Year.

"I have dedicated my whole career to being the best," said Mayweather, "and because of that, I have been on top for 17 years."

Last May, Mayweather unanimously decisioned Robert Guerrero in defense of the WBC 147-pound title he had earned by dethroning Victor Ortiz via fourth-round stoppage in September of 2011, cementing his status as RING welterweight champion as well.

Mayweather is also the WBA's reigning 154-pound titleholder, having earned that belt by unanimous decision over Miguel Cotto in May of 2012.

Mayweather still is considering the opponent he will fight next on May 3 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas amid wide speculation that he will face England's Amir Khan, who stated publicly late last month that he has signed his contract to face Mayweather.

Earlier this month, Mayweather, the highest-paid American athlete for the past two years, made a trip to South Africa in an attempt to "resuscitate" boxing in the nation.

While in South Africa, Mayweather told guests at a dinner at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg that  "September 2015 will be my last" fight.

That assertion that would satisfy the exclusive six-fight venture he signed with Showtime and its parent company, CBS Corporation. That deal is estimated to be worth a guaranteed $250 million according to an online report by Forbes’ Magazine.

"Hard work and dedication got me there and awards like these help keep me there too," said Mayweather, whose promotional company has several fighters, one of whom, Ishe Smith, briefly held the IBF's junior middleweight belt. "On behalf of myself and the entire 'Money Team,' I thank you so very much."

Along with Mayweather, the BWAA also named the WBO welterweight bout between Tim Bradley and Ruslan Provodnikov  as "Muhammad Ali–Joe Frazier" Fight of the Year, and, for the sixth time, the organization honored Freddie Roach as the winner of the "Eddie Futch" award for Trainer of the Year.

In addition, the BWAA honored Al Haymon, the advisor to Mayweather and many other world-class boxers, as Manager of the Year.