By Tom Donelson / Member Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA)
Floyd Mayweather wins his 49th without a lost as he simply took Berto apart, not that this was not predicated. The best one could hope for going into this match was for Mayweather to act his age and maybe Berto strike lightening but alas, it did not happen.
Mayweather simply boxed around Berto and at times, Berto seemed mesmerized by Mayweather who seemed to hit Berto whenever he wanted and Berto had enough trouble finding much to hit. As for the fight itself, it was even more one sided as the one-sided scorecards 120-108, 118-110, 117-111. I suspect that two of judges gave Berto rounds for simply showing up but it was hard to give any rounds to Berto other than out of sympathy.
As for Mayweather, this is now his official swan song and the end. Unless Floyd Mayweather does what many other boxers have done, have multiple retirements; this will end the career of the greatest pound for pound in our generation.
Floyd is one of our most controversial fighters who have many detractors who forever criticized the number of great fighters he fought. In Eastside boxing, Adam McMeeking quoted a Boxing News study in which fighters were ranked by the number of fighters ranked in the top 3 at the time of the bout. Floyd Mayweather defeated 15 top three fighters out of 49 fights, meaning that nearly 31% of his bouts were against top three fighters.
Sugar Ray Robinson defeated 25 fighters ranked in the top 3, which is the most according the Boxing News and this was in 173 bouts. 14% of Sugar Ray’s fights were against top 3 fighters. Note to readers, I am not saying that Mayweather is a better fighter but making a point that Floyd Mayweather fought higher caliber opponents than many pundits give him credit for. (Muhammed Ali defeated 19 top three ranked fighters in 56 bouts which means 34% of the Greatest’s victories were over top three ranked opponents.)
Mayweather biggest accomplishment may happen outside of the ring as he begins a second career as a promoter. Mayweather manage to do one thing that very few fighters could ever do; he ran his own career. For the past several years, Mayweather develop his own promotion company and the prime fighter in his company was Mayweather himself. His Showtime contract showed the success of his approach as he got a six fight deal that included two of the biggest PPV fights against Pacquiao and Saul Alvarez. Showtime can’t complain for they made their money on just one fight, Pacquiao-Mayweather and Mayweather simply reinforce his nickname, Money Mayweather.
Most fighters don’t control their career but have their careers controlled by others but Mayweather escaped that fate and now he leaves the ring with millions of dollars and who knows, he may become Boxing billionaire.