Boxing: Mayweather Adamant that Berto Will Be His Last Fight

American boxer Floyd Mayweather insists that his fight against Andre Berto in Las Vegas on Saturday will be his last.

Mayweather (48-0-0, 26KOs) could equal Rocky Marciano’s record of 49-0 winning streaks with victory over Berto.

It has been suggested by many pundits that the 38-year-old will not be able to resist surpassing Marciano’s Mark, but Mayweather says he will rather shift focus to his health while also making case for the future generations.

“If you stick around too long, anything can happen,” said Mayweather.

“I’m not really worried about losing, but I want to have a sharp mind. You can make a lot of money, but you still want to be able to walk and talk. Number 49 is my last fight.”

He added: “My ultimate goal is that we can find another Floyd Mayweather. When I turned professional I was a teenager and the MGM was Mike Tyson’s building. I’m just blessed and I feel like I was dealt a royal flush.”

Andre Berto is a Two-Time Boxing Champion. Image: Esther Lin/Showtime.
Andre Berto is a Two-Time Boxing Champion. Image: Esther Lin/Showtime.

Mayweather turned professional after winning gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Now a five-weight world champion, Mayweather says he does not need to fight on to prove his greatness.

“People said throughout the years I was a coward, I was scared, I couldn’t beat Manny Pacquiao,” said Mayweather, whose last fight was a points decision win over Manny Pacquiao in the richest fight in history in May.

“They gave him so many accolades, called him an all-time great. But all these people had to eat their words.

“If he’s an all-time great, then what does that make me? If they’re saying he’s the fighter of the century, what does that make me?

“I’m going to be ‘The Best Ever’ until the day I die.”

Berto, 32, (33-3-0, 23KOs) – a former champion who has now descended the world’s top 20 order – has his sights set on a historic win. The pair and undercard fighters made their Grand Arrivals at MGM Grand on Tuesday evening, amid a disappointing ticket sale.

“I had a tremendous training camp. I am in better shape than I’ve been in years. I’m looking forward to making history on Saturday, I don’t know anything about any code that Mayweather has. When I want to walk through a door I just break through,” Berto said.

Mayweather, who will defend his WBC and WBA welterweight titles, added: “I’ve always been able to make noise at whatever weight class I was in. We want Andre to believe in himself and his skills. Every fighter hat I’ve ever faced had the remedy to beat me, but the results have always been the same. I don’t overlook anyone, he’s a tough competitor, and we will just have to see what happens on Saturday.”