Berto: Foes Get Frustrated, Forget Mayweather's Body

By Rick Reeno

Las Vegas - During his 19-year career, Floyd Mayweather Jr. (48-0, 26KOs) has taken very little punishment to the head - and the body. The bulk of his opponents are primarily head-hunting and looking for a knockout. They completely forget about his body.

Many of Mayweather's past opponents will promise to go to the body, but once they step in the ring they are focused on head shots - and very few of them find the target.

Mayweather's opponent on Saturday night, Andre Berto, has vowed to go after the body - but he understands why so many of Mayweather's opponents forget about the game plan. 

"They want to take him out so bad. He fools around, he jabs...does this, does that. He frustrates a lot of guys and they want to go straight to the gusto and knock him out," Berto explained to BoxingScene.com.

But Berto realizes that in order to beat Mayweather - going to the body is not enough. He won't waste his time by attempting to match Mayweather's ring intelligence, but he does have a few tricks up his sleeve to make things very difficult for the pound-for-pound king.

"I think it's a few different things [that you need to beat him besides body work]. You have to have a game plan. And like [Mayweather] said - you have to have a [plan] A, B and C. You have to have everything in order, just in case that situation doesn't pan out - you have something else," Berto said.

"Floyd has a great IQ, but one shot can change everthing. You can be fast, you can be this, you can be that - but one shot can change everything."

Berto (30-3, 23KOs) challenges Mayweather for the WBC/WBA welterweight titles on Saturday night from the MGM Grand Garden Arena. Showtime Pay-Per-View will carry the fight.