What is next for Mayweather & Berto?

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  • Floyd Mayweather has come out of retirement once before.

    LAS VEGAS — Floyd Mayweather brought the curtain down on his undefeated career with a widely expected unanimous decision against the game but overmatched Andre Berto at the MGM Grand on Saturday. 

    But this is not the first time the pound-for-pound great has retired from the sport. Declan Taylor looks at what could be next for the pair.

    – Boxing: Mayweather equals record with unanimous decision
    – VIDEO: Mayweather – I’m ten steps ahead of any fighter

    – VIDEO: Mayweather Senior – Marciano fought bums, my son was liked

    Floyd Mayweather:
    RETIRE
    Mayweather sunk to his knees in the middle of the ring and pointed to the sky at the final bell on Saturday – and later said ‘I did it because it’s the end’. Believe it or not, he might actually mean it. Of course it’s hard to believe that a man who has been a professional boxer for 19 years, with a lengthy amateur career before that, will now wake up and go about his business without the usual training but he says his love for competing in the sport is ebbing away. He will, however, still be heavily involved as he bids to find the ‘new Floyd’, as he puts it, with his Mayweather Promotions stable growing all the time.


    COMEBACK
    Large swathes of the boxing media still fully expect Mayweather to come back one last time. This victory against Berto, during which he looked as good as he has at any time during the past decade, took him to 49-0 which is level with Rocky Marciano’s long-standing record. One more win will eclipse that and create the sort of milestone that nobody will ever reach again. It is hard to believe that a man so obsessed with being the best – he calls himself The Best Ever – will want to end his career tied with Marciano so one more win seems likely. Add to the fact that this whole fight week was low-key – and less than 14,000 turned up to watch it – and he might decide he wants to go out on a bigger high.


    ANOTHER TITLE
    During his post-fight press conference, Mayweather revealed he has already been offered nine-figue sums to come back and fight again next year. We all know money is his motivation but the opportunity to win a world title in a sixth weight class might also tempt him back. He has won a belt in every division from the 130lb super-featherweight limit to the 154lb light-middleweight one. Miguel Cotto currently holds the WBC belt at middleweight (160lb) and he will defend it against Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in November. Mayweather has already beaten both of them with relative ease and might fancy a rematch with the winner to add one final bauble to his mantelpiece.

    ****

    Andre Berto:
    Having lost three of his last six fights before this one, Berto was in danger of losing relevance in a talent-packed welterweight division. But his profile has been boosted by his involvement in this one and although he was handily out-pointed, Berto put up a good fight and is rarely in dull contests. With that in mind, the two-weight world champion could be in line for some more big fights.

    Keith Thurman:
    The charismatic, big-punching Floridian currently holds the WBA welterweight title and would fancy his chances of beating Berto. This one could produce fireworks and they’re both advised by Al Haymon so it would be an easy one to make.


    Danny Garcia:
    Having recently made the step up to welterweight by beating 34-year-old Paulie Malignaggi, undefeated Garcia is now hoping to make a statement by taking a major scalp in his new division. After this fight with Mayweather, a big win against Berto would certainly do that.

    Amir Khan:
    This fight could not happen at the moment because both Berto and Khan are currently under the tutelage of Virgil Hunter. However, there are rumours that Khan might be on the move once again and, if he is, a scrap with his friend and former stablemate Berto would be an easy sell and do good numbers.

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