It has been speculated for months who the next opponent would be for pound for pound unbeaten king Floyd Mayweather Jr. (48-0, 26KOs ) September 12th. It was made official that former 2-time welterweight world champion Andre Berto (30-3 23KOs ) would get the opportunity. The WBC welterweight and WBA Super world welterweight title will be on the line. The location will be the MGM Grand, Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. This will be Mayweather’s 12th consecutive fight at the venue. A home away from home you could say as Mayweather has resided in Las Vegas for a number of years.
It is ironic that Berto will get this opportunity. Berto has been in position to get this fight twice before. The first time he was unbeaten prior to facing Victor Ortiz. Berto was heavily favored to win the fight. Ortiz would go on to upset Berto. Ortiz won Berto’s title, handed him his first career loss, and got the fight with Mayweather the very next fight. Berto would rebound in a big way his very next fight defeating Jan Zaveck to win his second world title. Ortiz would lose to Mayweather a few weeks later and Berto was back in the mix to fight Mayweather Jr . In his way was former world champion Robert Guerrero who like Ortiz entered his fight with Berto as the underdog albeit much slighter of an underdog. Guerrero would not only defeat Berto but punish him badly leaving both of Berto’s eyes badly swollen. Guerrero would go on to fight and lose to Mayweather in his next fight.
Twice Berto has watched guys he lost to go on to get the most sought fight in boxing amongst top contenders and world champions. He will enter the fight coming off of two consecutive wins. He is well aware that he is being given next to no chance of winning by the majority. That really is no issue as in boxing it only takes one good night and all the negativity is forgotten. James “Buster” Douglas is very familiar with this as he entered his bout with unbeaten Mike Tyson in 1990 with even bigger odds against him. 25 years later when his name is brought up most don’t remember Douglas’ perceived under achieving career up to that point. It was him handing the baddest man on the planet his first professional. A Berto upset win over Mayweather Jr. would have him in conversations similar for many years to come.
