by Cliff Rold

On May 2, Floyd Mayweather didn’t just notch the most important win of his career.

He got paid.

He got paid more than any fighter ever for a single fight, even adjusted for inflation. The kind of money Mayweather made can be referred to a lot of ways. One apt description would be to say Mayweather made ‘f%$# you money.’

The website Banker’s Anonymous defines ‘f%$# you money’ as representing “the amount of money you’d need in order to professionally disregard anybody else’s needs.” Invested wisely, Mayweather probably covered that against Pacquiao. That’s just one fight. As half of the four top grossing non-Heavyweight, and three highest grossing fights period of all time, Floyd probably had it covered even before then.

When questioned about the quality of opponent for his 49th start, Mayweather stated multiple times that nobody has to buy the fight. Nothing says a fight is a big deal like that, huh? Then they placed a price tag of upwards of $80 dollars (for HD) on the pay-per-view, making Mayweather-Andre Berto one of the most expensive shows ever.

What did “Money” make May 2nd?

Only one guess required.

What will approximately $80 get you this weekend? Feel free to YouTube Mayweather’s 2005 showdown with Sharmba Mitchell in 2005. You’d have to go that far back to find an opponent with this unappealing a combination of name ID and hopelessness. Anyone dropping his or her dimes on this one should go in with open eyes on that.

Some might cite Carlos Baldomir, but at least he was the legitimate Welterweight Champion in 2006. In terms of Mayweather’s title defenses across five weight divisions, this might be the least worthy challenger he’s allowed since facing Victoriano Sosa and Phillip N’Dou at Lightweight.

Yes, Andre Berto has twice won title belts at 147 lbs. So what? This isn’t Berto 2011. Even then, this 38-year old Mayweather would have wildly outclassed Berto.

This is Berto 2015.

It’s impossible to ignore Berto’s form since his first loss to Victor Ortiz. A win over Jan Zaveck was solid enough but he took nasty beatings from Robert Guerrero and Jesus Soto Karass, looked mediocre against Steve Upsher Chambers, and was losing to fellow shopworn battler Josesito Lopez before his power and will bailed him out earlier this year.

That’s one thing no one can take from Berto. He’s got serious will in there.        

On August 6, in the wake of the signing of Mayweather-Berto, your author made a promise. Writing then, it was noted, “Like many, this scribe tweeted some jokes about the ‘big’ announcement this week. That’s about all. If the biggest draw in the world wants to fight a soft touch on his way out, good for him. There’s no need to keep talking about foregone conclusions and that’s the last thing said on it from this corner until the pre-fight report card.”

A promise kept.

There was no reason to pile on Berto in the weeks leading to this fight. He deserved better than weeks of mockery. He’s given chunks of himself to fight fans over the years in several memorable battles. In another era, where top draws went to scratch more than twice a year, one could even be happy for him.

No, he’s not a top ten Welterweight at this point. His last four fights would make it hard to argue him into the top twenty of the deep 147 lb. class. Regardless, he got the call. Berto is getting a career high payday against the biggest money draw, and best fighter, in the sport. Good for him.

It might even be better television than Mayweather-Pacquiao. Mayweather was at the top of his game for Pacquiao. He doesn’t have to be for Berto. He could elect to sit down with Berto much like he did in the first Marcos Maidana contest and still win wide.

This fight, the Mayweather pay-per-view equivalent of Oscar De La Hoya-Yori Boy Campas, will be as entertaining as Mayweather wants it to be.
 
Let’s go to the report card.

The Ledger

Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Titles on the Line: Lineal World Welterweight (2010-Present, 5 Defenses); WBC Welterweight (2011-Present, 4 Defenses); Ring Magazine Welterweight (2013-Present, 3 Defenses); WBA Welterweight (2014-Present, 2 Defenses); TBRB Welterweight (2015-Present, 1st Defense)

Other Current Titles: WBA “Super” Super Welterweight (2012-Present, 2 Defenses); WBC Super Welterweight (2013-Present, 1 Defense); TBRB Jr. Middleweight (2013-Present, 1 Defense)

Previous Titles: Lineal/WBC Jr. Lightweight (1998-2002, 8 Defenses); Lineal/Ring/WBC Lightweight (2002-04, 3 Defenses); WBC Jr. Welterweight (2005); IBF Welterweight (2006); Lineal/Ring/WBC Welterweight (2006-08, 1 Defense); WBC Jr. Middleweight (2007); Ring Magazine Jr. Middleweight (2013-15, 1 Defense); WBO Welterweight (2015)

Age: 38

Height: 5’8

Weight: 146 lbs.

Hails from: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Record: 48-0, 26 KO

Record in Major Title Fights: 26-0, 10 KO including lineal (25-0, 10 KO, WBC/WBA/IBF/WBO only)

Current/Former World Champions Faced: 21 (Genaro Hernandez RTD8; Gregorio Vargas UD12; Diego Corrales TKO10; Carlos Hernandez UD12; Jesus Chavez TKO9; Jose Luis Castillo UD12, UD12; DeMarcus Corley UD12; Arturo Gatti RTD6; Sharmba Mitchell TKO6; Zab Judah UD12; Carlos Baldomir UD12; Oscar De La Hoya SD12; Ricky Hatton TKO10; Juan Manuel Marquez UD12; Shane Mosley UD12; Victor Ortiz KO4; Miguel Cotto UD12; Robert Guerrero UD12; Saul Alvarez MD12; Marcos Maidana MD12, UD12; Manny Pacquiao UD12)

Vs.

Andre Berto


Age: 32

Title: None

Previous Titles: WBC Welterweight (2008-11, 5 Defenses); IBF Welterweight (2011-12)

Height: 5’6 ½

Weight: 145

Hails from: Winter Haven, Florida

Record: 30-3, 23 KO, 1 KOBY

Rankings: Unrated

Record in Major Title Fights: 7-1, 4 KO (8-2, 5 KO including interim title fights) 
Current/Former World Champions/Titlists Faced: 7 (Steve Forbes UD12; Luis Collazo UD12; Juan Urango UD12; Carlos Quintana TKO8; Victor Ortiz L12; Jan Zaveck RTD5; Robert Guerrero L12)

Grades
Speed: Mayweather A-; Berto B+
Power: Mayweather B; Berto B+
Defense: Mayweather A+; Berto C
Intangibles: Mayweather A+; Berto B

If we judged solely on heart, Berto’s intangibles grade might be higher. There are other considerations. He’s never had the best chin. He’s been dropped several times and wobbled plenty of others. He has a bad propensity for swelling, something that a marksman like Mayweather can take violent advantage of.

While younger, Berto has far more miles on him and doesn’t appear to be as quick as he was before the Ortiz war. In the ring, he may be the older man. There were spots in the Chambers and Ortiz wins, and certainly the Soto Karass loss, where one could wonder if he was on the borderline of physically shot.

The one thing Berto retains is punching power. If Mayweather lets Berto tee off, he could rock the Welterweight king. Mayweather can offset that if it happens with deft clinches and footwork. Mayweather has some of the best footwork and balance in the game. Both areas are a weakness for Berto.

Mayweather has never legitimately been down in his career. His lone official knockdown was Mayweather voluntarily touching an injured hand to the ground against Carlos Hernandez. Unofficially, Zab Judah knocked him off balance and Mayweather’s glove touched the floor early in their bout. Berto’s only real chance at a win is a lightning in a bottle power shot for the ages.

On that note…   

The Pick

Mayweather wins.

Report Card and Staff Picks 2015: 69-16 (Including Stevenson-Karpency, Valdez-Avalos, and Spence-Van Heerden)

Cliff’s Notes…

If there is an upside to the show this weekend, it comes on the undercard where there are two fights could provide serious action…In a rematch of one of the year’s best fights to date, WBO 130 lb. titlist Rocky Martinez (29-2-2, 17 KO) defends against the man he lifted the strap from Orlando Salido (42-13-2, 29 KO). It’s hard to imagine anything less than exciting here but that works against Salido. Salido gets dropped often these days. It cost him the first fight and should cost him the second. It won't be quite as good as their first but Martinez-Salido should be the fight of the night. Martinez is the pick by decision or second half stoppage…In an intriguing clash at Super Middleweight, we may see the seeds of a UK superfight planted. WBC titlist Badou Jack (19-1-1, 12 KO) will want to play the part of insurmountable obstacle. George Groves (21-2, 16 KO) has an early career win over newly minted IBF titlist James DeGale and was leading Carl Froch before being stopped twice. He appears a hair better fighter but both men have shown chin vulnerability. Jack is live here but Groves should snag a belt, probably with a stoppage. If he does, Groves-DeGale II is a big deal.

Cliff Rold is the Managing Editor of BoxingScene, a founding member of the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board, and a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America.  He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com