Mayweather vs. Berto: Full Predictions and Keys to Victory for Welterweight Bout
Floyd Mayweather (48-0, 26 KOs) will meet with Andre Berto (30-3, 23 KOs) on Saturday, September 12 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas to defend his undefeated record and WBA and WBC welterweight titles. The 38-year-old is widely expected to cruise to a win, matching Rocky Marciano's perfect 49-0 record in the process.
Berto has lost three of his last six fights and earned his shot at Mayweather with wins over Steve Upsher Chambers and Josesito Lopez―hardly names that put fear in the heart of their opponents.
But he did start his career with 27 straight wins and was once regarded as one of the most exciting young talents in the world. Five years ago, this fight seemed likely to happen, and fans wondered whether Berto could be the man to hand Mayweather his first ever loss; he's now finally getting his chance.
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According to Sky Sports, Mayweather maintains he will retire after the fight, and combined with Berto's comeback after the loss against Victor Ortiz, there are plenty of reasons to watch this bout. Not everyone will, however, and Bleacher Report's Kevin McRae understands why:
Let's have a look at what both fighters have to offer and make some predictions for the upcoming clash.
Mayweather
Money needs no introduction. The unquestioned pound-for-pound king and future Hall of Famer was last seen dispatching longtime rival Manny Pacquiao, easily beating the Filipino slugger by unanimous decision in a fight that failed to live up to the fans' lofty expectations.
After years and years of buildup the two could have gone at it like Arturo Gatti and Micky Ward, and some people still would have been disappointed. Ultimately, Mayweather did what he does best: control the ring, dominate with speed and defence and cruise to an easy win.
Even at the age of 38, Mayweather's hand speed remains phenomenal, and according to Showtime's Al Bernstein, it's Money's longevity that works most in his favour when talking about his position among the greats of the sport. He said so while previewing the fight with ESPN's Jim Basquil and Brian Campbell, appearing on Making the Rounds (h/t ESPN Boxing):
"Making The Rounds: @AlBernstein of @SHOsports previews #MayweatherBerto & looks at Floyd's legacy http://t.co/PWz3fWVUfN @BCampbellESPN
— ESPN Boxing (@ESPNBoxing) September 2, 2015"
That doesn't mean Mayweather hasn't shown any signs of old age. His footwork is not as good as it was during his prime, when he could move around the ring like no other and make his opponents look silly.
These days, he relies even more on his head movement and shoulder roll defence, and while it's still an incredible sight to behold, it does present his opponent with a more static target. As ESPN's Sports science explained, he has been hit more in his last couple of fights than ever before:
With his foot speed slowing down ever so slightly, Mayweather has become less adventurous when moving forward, relying heavily on counterpunching instead. He's one of the world's best at it, however, and will enter the bout with a significant advantage in reach.
For Money, the keys to victory are simple: do your thing. Berto is an explosive puncher with solid power, but unless he gets a clean shot at Mayweather, a knockout is unlikely. Money has shown he has a great chin throughout his career, but ideally, that wouldn't come into play here.
Keeping Berto at a distance and making the ring as big as possible will play right into Mayweather's strengths, and the champion shouldn't be afraid to clinch if necessary. If he sticks to his usual game plan, the win should be Mayweather's.
Berto
Exactly how controversial was Mayweather's decision to fight Berto? Apart from the constant criticism the bout has received in the past few months, with Forbes' Josh Katzowitz giving one of the most damning assessments, even the fighter himself felt the need to address the issue during a press conference, via ESPN's Dan Rafael:
Mayweather doesn't usually answer tricky questions―he either dodges them or ignores them completely. The fact he decided to defend himself on the Berto decision tells you all you need to know.
The 31-year-old Berto has held world title belts, and his resume includes impressive wins over the likes of Juan Urango and Luis Collazo. Berto is no scrub―he's just not the young, dangerous fighter fans were hoping for. Mayweather was never going to fight Gennady Golovkin, no matter what people said, but a bout against someone like Amir Khan would have been a possibility.
Berto has solid hand speed and some power, managing 23 knockouts over the course of his career, and he seems eager to prove his doubters wrong, judging by his impeccable shape, as shared by Rafael:
He knows he's the underdog, and if he's to produce one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, he will have to be fearless. Mayweather hasn't won by knockout since his controversial stoppage of Victor Ortiz way back in 2011―Berto shouldn't worry about trying to walk through the punches and get up close.
Avoiding the clinch against a defensive fighter like Mayweather is never easy, but what he can do is force him into the ropes and try to spring a surprise when the two disengage. It's how Pacquiao seemed to shock Mayweather briefly in their fight, and it may be Berto's only chance.
Predictions
There's a reason just about everyone believes Mayweather will cruise to an easy win. Berto is a solid fighter, but Money is on a whole other level. He hardly ever looked troubled against Pacquiao, and expect the same to happen on Saturday. Unanimous-decision win for Mayweather, who takes at least nine rounds and tells reporters he will not change his mind about retirement.
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