I think Berto's fine

The thing to me is, seems like many fans want to give Mayweather a freebie in compensation for fighting a hard fight

Guys, he is getting paid FORTUNES to take those kind of fights. Him fighting Pac made him the *highest paid athlete in the world*, that was his compensation. Theres no 'well, thank you so much for taking a hard fight, now take a freebie for yourself, you've earned it!'

I really don't get where that mentality comes from. Yes, he fought a great opponent last time out, as hes getting paid fortunes to do.


That being said, its not like a more respectable opponent would even be all that more dangerous to Floyd, that's the thing. He would probably win comfortably against almost everyone 147 and below.... a few would make it rough for him due to styles maybe, but really... he wouldn't have that hard a time with anyone at welter or below, which makes this opponent selection even more bizarre. Its not like in 2008 where there was prime Cotto, Pac, Marg, Williams, ect....


Something about this fight seems to me theres something to it behind the scenes... maybe Haymon doesn't want to knock the stock of one of his main guys just yet (Thurman, Garcia, Porter) in a lopsided type loss to Floyd.... maybe Haymon is wanting to do Berto a favor by hooking him up with a payday and some spotlight (as Im sure Berto will be on future PBC cards and it will raise his stock having fought Floyd)

If theres not some sort of behind the scenes motive for fighting Berto this fight just makes 0 sense.... theres other bigger fights that would be marginally harder than Berto, and Floyd has almost never been one to take a truly undeserving opponent like this.



Anyways, like I said, I just don't understand where this mentality that these multi millionaires need a freebie after they actually fight a top guy, comes from. Like fighters are doing us a favor by fighting who they should be fighting

 

Mayweather doesn't get the credit he probably deserves for a lot of those fights, but theres no getting around that for whatever the reason, most of those names on the list weren't beaten when they were at their best, which matters a lot.

Just imo.

 

I agree with you. It's disappointing, but it's an acceptable soft touch given the current landscape, and the fact that Floyd just came off a career defining victory against his long time rival and fellow ATG in a bout that shattered PPV records. Hell, Floyd could have lured Andrew Hartley out to Vegas for all I'd care.

Plus this is obviously being used as a set-up for a mega-rematch against one of the 2 Cash Cows to go for the epic #50. Assuming the Curse of Marciano doesn't bless Berto come fight night.

:smoke

 

It should matter a lot, but as time passes, I'm not sure it really does.

Oscar, for example, gets credit for facing everyone and anyone, but there was usually some sort of advantageous timing, however subtle, that usually worked in his favor. People seem to forget about the timing of many of Oscar's fights, and I think the same will be said of Floyd going forward, with the 1 obvious exception that will be remembered - but I never blamed Floyd alone for that not happening when it should have. There was plenty of blame to go around coming from both camps.

 

Mayweather is primarily a welterweight. Hes had one fight above there in the last three years, and has only gone above for million plus ppv buy type megafights. I would be irrational to hold him to fighting run of the mill contenders in a division he obviously doesn't regularly campaign at.

If there was a clear challenger there that was worthy I guess I could understand, but hes already beaten the number one guy in that weightclass (Canelo), and quite clearly at that.


Theres enough names at welterweight to choose from, I don't really need to bring a fairly dull jr middle division into the picture, especially when theres not really a clear challenger, imo.