Updated

Floyd Mayweather Jr. says he never accused rival fighter Manny Pacquiao of taking steroids and that he's still open to fighting the Filipino icon.

Mayweather made the comments during a stop in New York on Tuesday to promote his Sept. 17 fight against welterweight champion Victor Ortiz. The fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas will be the first for Mayweather in a year and a half.

Most of the news he's made between fights has been outside the ring.

Mayweather is being sued in federal court for defamation after allegedly accusing Pacquiao of using performance-enhancing drugs. He also faces felony charges stemming from a domestic argument, and misdemeanor harassment and battery charges, among other things, in separate cases.