The welterweight division?the one with the 147-pound limit, for those non-boxing readers throwing me a click?is among the deepest in boxing. There are established stars (Timothy Bradley, Amir Khan), rising stars (Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia) and compelling young talents (Errol Spence Jr.). So, of course, Floyd Mayweather picked one of the least qualified of them all.
On Tuesday, Mayweather pulled back the curtain on one of the worst kept (and most mind-numbing) secrets in boxing: That he would face Andre Berto on September 12th at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, on Showtime pay per view, in what he claims will be his final fight. On the list of recent Mayweather opponents, Berto ranks among the worst, a has-been ex-champion who is 3?3 in his last six fights and has not been relevant since a grueling, Fight of the Year-type brawl with Victor Ortiz in 2011. Some early odds have Mayweather a 40-1 favorite. Even that may be too close.
So why pick him? Your guess is as good as mine. Frankly, it?s probably as good as Showtime?s, too. Mayweather has clearly been a sound investment for the network. He fought Canelo Alvarez on Showtime pay per view and brought the network into his record breaking win over Manny Pacquiao. Still, Mayweather?s resolve to avoid the toughest challenges has to be maddening to Showtime executives. They aren?t stupid. They know Mayweather-Thurman, Mayweather-Bradley or Mayweather-Khan rakes in bigger pay per view numbers. But they made this deal knowing overmatched opponents could?and most likely would?be a part of it. This is one of them.
It?s maddening. He could fight anybody. Mayweather is the one fighter unaffected by boxing politics. If he wants an opponent outside Al Haymon?s stable, he?s got it. He?s the money man, he dictates terms. He got Pacquiao to swallow a lesser deal; he could get Bob Arum and Tim Bradley to swallow a far worse one. Instead, he takes the path of least resistance (allegedly) one final time.
