Floyd Mayweather vs. Andre Berto Weigh-in Info, Fight Schedule and Predictions
One opponent stands between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and his 49th consecutive victory. That one opponent has three more losses in his last six fights than "Money" does in his entire career.
That opponent is Andre Berto (30-3, 23 KO), and Mayweather (48-0, 26 KO) will defend his welterweight world titles against him on Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The bout will air on Showtime Pay-Per-View, and coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, per Showtime’s official website.
The weigh-in is scheduled for Friday.
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Berto is a mediocre 3-3 in his last six fights and shouldn’t pose much of a problem for Mayweather as the champion attempts to tie Rocky Marciano’s sparkling 49-0 record. On paper, this won’t be much of a fight, and Dan Rafael of ESPN.com wasn’t thrilled with Money’s opponent selection:
"Mayweather claimed he picked Berto because he makes exciting fights. He has been in several good scraps. This is true. But this fight isn't about true competition. This is about Mayweather supposedly walking away from boxing with a perfect record without taking much of a chance in a not-so-grand finale.
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However, fights are not decided on paper, and Berto could pull off one of the biggest upsets in boxing history. Here is a look at a breakdown and prediction for the showdown.
Breakdown
Reach
According to BoxRec, Mayweather’s first advantage comes in the reach department. He checks in with a 72-inch reach compared to Berto’s 68 ½ inches, which will make it even more difficult for Berto to land any fight-changing punches throughout the bout.
Mayweather is difficult enough to beat as it is, and he will be able to keep a safe distance between himself and his challenger with his reach advantage.
Power
Despite the zero in the loss category, Mayweather is not particularly known for his power. In fact, he only has a single knockout since 2007 (Victor Ortiz in 2011) and registered the vast majority of his 26 career stoppages in his early bouts.
However, Mayweather’s power comes from his overall output, especially with jabs that come from various angles. He has beaten a number of challengers with an onslaught of ideally timed jabs that simply add up over the course of a fight. He may not knock many opponents out, but he saps their strength with perfectly placed punches.
As for Berto, his best chance is probably with his own powerful jab and uppercut ability, especially if he can catch Mayweather off guard at some point. That is much easier said than done given Money’s defense, but Berto is a former Olympian and two-time welterweight champion who has 23 knockouts in 30 wins.
Berto mentioned his power when discussing his chances, per Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times: “I know what shape I’m supposed to be in, that I’m punching hard. I’m going to come in there feeling strong, fast. You’re going to see a kid in there that’s been at the high road, that’s had his falls, and is now back ready to make it happen. There may be a fairy tale end to this situation.”
Shoulder injuries ultimately derailed what was once a promising career for Berto, but his power earned him the majority of his victories. If there is one area where he is at least in the same league as Mayweather, it is here.
Speed and Defense
Mayweather has not run into a boxer yet who can handle his overall speed, defense and ability to make mid-fight adjustments. That won’t change against an overmatched Berto.
Mayweather makes his living on technical precision and an astounding combination of hand and foot speed. Berto is absolutely no match for the champion in this category—few actually are in today’s boxing landscape.
When boxing is boiled down to its basic tenants, the object is to hit and avoid being hit. Nobody avoids being hit better than Mayweather, which is one reason why his undefeated record has lasted this long. Sure, he catches criticism for not throwing as many punches as he could or engaging opponents in all-out brawls, but he eludes any major blows.
That makes it nearly impossible for the judges to rule against him if the fight comes down to a decision.
Berto once competed in the Olympics and certainly had impressive speed in his prime, but injuries cost him some quickness over the years. He won’t be able to keep up with Money over the course of the full fight, and Mayweather will make the necessary adjustments if Berto establishes any momentum.
Money always does.
Prediction
These two fighters are just not in the same league.
In every aspect, Mayweather has the advantage. He boasts better reach numbers, unparalleled defense, blazing quickness and more power behind his jab than his detractors often give him credit for.
Mayweather is simply the better fighter by a large stretch, and this will not be a close bout. While it won’t end in a knockout based on his fighting style (adjustments, avoiding major blows and impressive defense), the judges won’t have to think too hard when they complete their scorecards.
Prediction: Mayweather by unanimous decision.
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