Wednesday 5 August 2015 23:55, UK
Floyd Mayweather is just doing business as usual by picking Andre Berto, but he will return for a 50th fight, says Johnny Nelson...
To tell you the truth, I’ve heard this was more or less 99 per cent on the day after he boxed Manny Pacquiao when I was out there in America. This was already decided, Floyd is no idiot and makes sure he prepares a long time before anyone else does.
For Floyd you are thinking: ‘Who do I box? Do I box someone new? Do I box someone who is a bit of a name like Keith Thurman, Amir Khan, even Kell Brook? Andre Berto has paid his dues, he’s probably the most experienced out of all of them and he’s given the man a chance. He’s opted to give an old soldier a crack at it, someone who has earned his stripes.
Who else is he going to put in there after the Pacquiao fight? That was the biggest fight we have seen in our lifetime. He’s not going to get anything bigger than that unless he gets the rematch with Pacquiao - and he would still get stick for that because of the first fight.
Mayweather is doing what he’s always done after reaching the top - decide who he wants to fight and when he want to fight them. Now he’s made it official. A lot of people will kick-off because everybody will be thinking of other opponents like Thurman, Khan and Brook.
This is Mayweather and he hasn’t changed at all. His style hasn’t changed, his attitude has not changed, so why are we surprised? I don’t understand why you are upset - this is what Floyd Mayweather does.
This is business first, fans later. If it suits business, he’ll do what the fans want, but you’re still going to watch him, you’re still going to be impressed by him and you’re still going to be mesmerised by his skills. Floyd takes cares of Floyd.
Out of Amir Khan and Kell Brook, Amir will be the most frustrated, because he was on a promise or had an inkling that he was next in line and he’s not, he’s been shut out. You can understand his frustration. But Kell Brook has never been a potential opponent for Mayweather, so you cannot get upset about something you never had.
Without a doubt Mayweather will return for a 50th fight. Don’t let him hustle you, don’t let him kid and con you, don’t be fooled by it. With what we know about Floyd Mayweather, why would he want to match Rocky Marciano’s unbeaten 49-fight record? Floyd wants to stand head and shoulders above the rest. There is no way he will retire for good after this. He might tell us he has and wait for a year. He will have a 50th fight, no matter what.
