Mayweather: We're Coming To Knock Andre Berto Out

By Jake Donovan

It could be just to drum up additional interest for an event that hasn’t made big waves. Or perhaps it’s truly how both fighters believe their head-on collision will end.

Either way, Floyd Mayweather and Andre Berto are convinced that their Showtime Pay-Per-View headliner this weekend at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas will not make it to the final bell.

Fighters predicting a knockout is hardly uncommon, although often followed with the claim that they’ve trained for 12 hard rounds and will be equally pleased with a decision win. That wasn’t all the case during Wednesday’s pre-fight press conference in Las Vegas, where both fighters carried it as if fight night couldn’t arrive soon enough.

“There's something brewing in the air. There's some personal stuff here,” Virgil Hunter, Berto’s trainer pointed out during his time spent behind the mic.

Neither fighter would feed into that angle, but were adamant in their intention to put the other flat on his back come Saturday night.

“We’re going for the knockout,” Mayweather (49-0, 26KOs) emphatically stated, despite the fact that he hasn’t stopped or even dropped an opponent since his infamous 4th round knockout of Victor Ortiz four years ago. “We’re coming to knock him out and I’m sure he’s looking to do the same.”

His last knockout prior to then was also the final fight of his first career, drilling then-unbeaten British boxing hero Ricky Hatton in the 10th round of their Dec. ’07 clash.

Berto (30-3, 23KOs) has suffered just one stoppage loss in his career, fighting through a torn tendon for much of his July ’13 war with Jesus Soto Karass before succumbing in the 12th and final round. He has since won two straight, including a 6th round knockout of Josesito Lopez in March.

However, the former welterweight titlist is 3-3 in his last six starts and is considered a massive underdog in a Pay-Per-View handlers that comes at suggested retail price of $64.95/$74.95 HD.  The Haitian-American boxer from Florida has done his best to tune out the criticism and claims that he stands no chance, but his demeanor suggests he’s using it as additional motivation to send a message on Saturday.

“It's funny man. When it comes to the media. when it comes to the critic. They're not in that gym busting their ass and knowing the feeling of being a fighter,” Berto pointed out to the assembled media on hand during Wednesday’s press conference. “They don't know the miles we run, the punishment we take and the sacrifices we make just to be on this stage.

“I've been counted out from day one. I've come back and overcome.”

On Saturday, he will have to overcome insurmountable odds to conquer the very best fighter in the world today, and of this generation.

“It's not anything personal on my end. I'm just coming for my respect,” Berto insisted to Showtime’s Brian Custer before offering a brief yet to-the-point prediction. “Win.  Knockout.”

Jake Donovan is the managing editor of BoxingScene.com
Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
Facebook Page: JakeBScene