?When I look at fights of this magnitude and people are giving one fighter no chance? most of the time it?s legit??
With their much-ballyhooed fight less than three weeks away, former two-time welterweight titlist Andre Berto (30-3, 23 KOs) will take on WBC/WBA welterweight champion Floyd Mayweather (48-0, 26 KOs) on September 12th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The fight will be broadcast on Showtime PPV.
To say Berto is a considerable underdog heading into the contest is a gross understatement. Some bookies have Mayweather as prolific as an 80-1 favorite against Berto.
However, former two-division champion, all-time legend, and Golden Boy Promotions partner Bernard Hopkins is not completely overlooking the danger of Berto.
Hopkins recently spoke with Radio Rahim and had this to say about Berto?s chances against pound-for-pound kingpin Floyd Mayweather:
?When I look at fights of this magnitude and people are giving one fighter no chance? most of the time it?s legit. But I remind people, and I have nothing to do with Mayweather and Berto as ya?ll know?but I remind people before they bet something that they are going to regret?your mortgage, your personal hard earned money?that you have to go back to Mike Tyson and Buster Douglas,? Hopkins told BoxingScene.com.
?It ain?t what Berto is expected to do or not do, it?s what Mayweather do or don?t do. Mayweather is now in position to be his [own worst enemy] if he?s not taking Berto seriously. The burden is not on Berto, he has nothing to lose. But if Floyd Mayweather is not respecting who he?s facing, he becomes more vulnerable. As they say, the defense attorney doesn?t have the burden of proof?it?s the DA. Look at the DA as being Berto and Mayweather being the defense in defending his legacy, his title and his ?0.??
To compare just how much of a long shot many betting outlets view Berto, we need look no further than the 42-1 underdog Buster Douglas? February 11, 1990 kayo of the seemingly indestructible Mike Tyson in Tokyo as a point of comparison.
While many believe Douglas? shocking victory over Tyson to be the greatest upset in boxing history, Berto?in respect to betting odds?enters as a more meager threat to defeat Mayweather than Douglas did against Tyson.
The upset is the beauty of the game. Considering the seemingly insurmountable odds, if Berto defeats Mayweather on September 12, it would put Tyson vs. Douglas to shame.
