Andre Berto reacted to speculations about Floyd Mayweather’s possible return to the ring, the debate surrounding the rematch with Manny Pacquiao and rumors about the undefeated champion’s finances.
Berto knows Mayweather better than most, and their relationship goes back decades. The former two-time welterweight champion also faced Mayweather in the last professional fight of the superstar’s career in 2015.
More than a decade later, Mayweather is back in the headlines ahead of his confirmed September rematch with Manny Pacquiao.
The return of Floyd Mayweather
Speaking exclusively to WBN, Berto believes Mayweather’s skills and in-ring IQ will still allow him to compete under the right circumstances.
“Given Mayweather’s situation, it looks like he’s still trying to stay in shape,” Berto told World Boxing News about Mayweather’s performance at the Greek exhibition before his fight with Manny Pacquiao in September.
“A lot of people are trying to understand the reasons for his return. There’s a lot of speculation. But he’s got the name, he’s got the credibility, and I believe that as long as he stays in his circle to fight the older Pacquiao or fight someone else who isn’t trying to push or pressure that older gas tank, I think he should be fine because he still has an amazing boxing IQ and can get away with a lot.”
Esther Lin
Discussions about Mayweather’s return have resurfaced following the confirmation of a long-discussed rematch with Pacquiao this year.
Pacquiao has already insisted that the event will be a true professional competition and not an exhibition, telling the media that it is a “real fight or nothing” as contradictions around the event persist.
The Filipino icon later released a statement clarifying that the contract he signed was intended to be a fully sanctioned professional fight and not an exhibition event, addressing what he described as misinformation about the fight.
Pacquiao rematch at stake
For Berto, the most crucial factor in selling the fight to fans may be whether Mayweather is willing to risk his celebrated undefeated record.
“Yes, I think that’s something that will really sell this fight,” Berto said.
“If he’s going to put this record out. Fans don’t really care that much about exhibitions, I mean they’ll still watch, but they want to know there’s something bigger at stake.”
“It’s something that Mayweather holds on to strongly, it’s what sets him apart from the rest and if he says it, it’s something that everyone will want to watch.”
Whether Mayweather will risk a 50-0 record will be confirmed this week after pressure from Pacquiao.
Money gossip
Berto was also asked about reports suggesting that Mayweather may have spent a significant portion of his earnings on outstanding tax returns and claims of unpaid bills.
The former champion gave a measured answer, drawing on his long-standing relationship with Mayweather.
“It’s a façade for Money Mayweather,” Berto said.
Show time
“For as long as I’ve known him, since he was fifteen, he’s always been a brilliant guy, and as you get bigger and make more money, your expenses will get higher and higher.”
“He takes pride in being the boss and paying for everything. But when you stop fighting and the income stops coming in, you start to feel it.”
So I hope that doesn’t happen because it would be a depressed story.”
Berto remains closely associated with Mayweather and is ranked 49th in the undefeated champion’s original professional career.
Mayweather defeated Berto by unanimous decision, equaling Rocky Marciano’s record, before announcing his retirement from the sport. He later came back to defeat Conor McGregor and reach the magical 50.
It remains to be seen whether Pacquiao will get a chance to beat Mayweather to 50-1.
About the author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.
A commendable sum of £73,500 was raised for charity as Tony Bellew and David Price gathered for a boxing night in Liverpool.
The gala took place on April 17 and former professional footballers clashed at the event, which was endorsed by sporting icons such as Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.
The event, billed as “A Night To Remember II”, followed Pro Project Promotions’ first charity boxing event in October with the aim of giving retired athletes the opportunity to rekindle their competitive spirit.
Similarly, Pro Project Promotions founder Graham Stack, a former Arsenal goalkeeper, hopes to raise a total of £500,000 in the organization’s debut year.
He’s already close to halfway there, having raised a total of £201,000 for charities including Children’s Charity Merseyside and Autism Merseyside.
Stack made it clear that this was just the beginning.
“I am very proud to see Pro Project Promotions grow from strength to strength. These events give retired players a purpose, structure and a way to continue to compete for something that truly matters.
“To raise £73,500 [in April] and moving our total for six months over £201,000 is fantastic. We are closing in on £500,000 raised for the charity and I want to thank everyone who has supported us so far.”
Pro Project Promotions will return to Liverpool’s Grosvenor House Hotel on October 22, with ambassadors such as Natasha Jonas and Liam Smith expected to continue to provide support.
As for April’s performance, it was ultimately Swansea City cult hero Lee Trundle who won the main event against former Scotland striker Chris Iwelumo.
Participants, artists and charities for Pro Project Promotions’ next boxing event will be announced in the coming weeks.
One fan accused Stevenson of talking about major fights without taking steps to make them happen.
“The fuck is when are you??? You ran to Zuffa to avoid Shock??? You didn’t want to smoke with Devin, if you’re waiting for the right moment it makes sense if you fight, now you’re trying so tough to keep it 0,” the critic wrote.
Shakur either really doesn’t get it yet or is trying to masterfully do public relations damage control to keep his name among the division’s elite.
If Dana White runs Zuffa Boxing by the UFC playbook, the league format completely changes the game. In this world, you don’t call on top-level players or Matchroom players because you’re locked in a closed ecosystem. The UFC does not partner with Bellator or PFL to stage superfights, and they have no intention of sending their prized fighters to fight on a rival network under a different promotional banner.
If Shakur really thinks he can just pocket a huge salary at Zuffa and still easily land Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney, or Teofimo Lopez, he’s in for a rude awakening. The promotional walls are bulky, and Dana White is not known for playing well with classic boxing promoters.
At this point, Shakur still speaks like an independent performer who can dictate his own path. But if Zuffa is building a league, it has simply traded that independence for a corporate structure. He may find himself trapped in a gilded cage completely isolated from the struggles that he claims define the legacy.
If the UFC model is the plan, it guarantees financial security but risks complete isolation from the wider boxing world. By the time he finishes his tour of duty and realizes that mass promotion fights will be off the table forever, the physical attributes that made him a four-division champion may already be gone.
Former two-division world champion and top trainer Buddy McGirt has suggested that one fighter, between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, will likely go into the fight with one clear advantage.
According to reports, both pound-for-pound legends will face each other in a professional rematch scheduled for September 26.
However, despite the uncertainty, it appears that both fighters have agreed to collide in a fully sanctioned fight, with Mayweather graciously putting his 50-0 record on the line.
The 49-year-old hasn’t fought professionally since a 10th-round knockout of Conor McGregor in 2017, which came just over two years after he edged ‘Pac Man’ by unanimous decision.
Pacquiao, on the other hand, has competed in eight professional fights since their first meeting, most recently drawing to a 12-round draw with then-WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios last July.
McGirt said that because of this increased activity in recent years ESNEWS that it favors the 47-year-old Filipino, even if neither player can realistically claim to be a role model of activism.
“I am [going to] follow Pacquiao for the straightforward fact that Floyd didn’t fight – e.g [in] fight-fight – for how long?
“These exhibition fights, you can’t really count them. Then again, I’ll go with Pacquiao, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Floyd manages to do it.”
Although Pacquiao has fought more recently than Mayweather, his draw with Barrios ended a nearly four-year hiatus that followed his unanimous decision loss to Yordenis Ugas.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.