With about two weeks to go, Andre Berto will be heading into perhaps the biggest fight of his career as he faces the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.
Berto is a heavy underdog against Mayweather but it seems that such billing has hardly demoralized the former two-time boxing champ, who says that he is in the best shape of his career and is taking the Sept. 12 fight pretty seriously.
So seriously that he is confident that he can expose the weakness of Mayweather and spoil his intent of getting to 49–0, which would tie him with boxing great Rocky Marciano.
The setto has, of course, left a lot of displeased fans considering Mayweather could have gone with another big name rather than Berto, whom many see as on his way down. Recall that Berto and Karim Mayfield were among the shortlisted candidates named by Mayweather, something that many thought was a joke.
And as it turned out, the joke was on everyone and Mayweather was pretty serious.
There are many who say that Berto was picked so that Mayweather could go through the motions of satisfying his promised September fight. Aside from that, many feel that it was his way of matching the 49–0 card.
Despite repeated claims that it will be his last fight, many doubt it. But Berto is not at all interested in that and says that he will give Mayweather one heck of a fight, and that he will surprise his fellow American and the world.
Indeed, if Berto does hold true to his word, then it could be the greatest upset in boxing history. The thing is not too many people are convinced he can, seeing other prime fighters falling one by one against Mayweather and his vaunted defensive genius.
So does Berto have what it takes to break that defensive prowess? Does he have power in those hands to stun a wise ring tactician in Mayweather?
The answer to all of that comes in a couple of weeks. It may not be the best match to look forward to but expect plenty of viewers just the same.
