MAYWEATHER vs. BERTO

HEAD TO HEAD: THE RING ANALYSIS

CAN ANDRE BERTO COMPETE WITH THE POUND-FOR-POUND KING? NOT LIKELY.

How does a prizefighter follow up winning the biggest boxing event of the modern era and taking home the richest payday for one night’s work in the history of professional sports?

If you’re Floyd Mayweather Jr., you follow up your signature victory – a clear unanimous decision over longtime rival Manny Pacquiao on May 2 – any way you want, against anyone you choose.

Mayweather chose Andre Berto as the B-side to the final fight of his Showtime/CBS contract on Sept. 12. Berto, a 10-year veteran from Winter Haven, Florida, is a former two-time welterweight titleholder known for his explosive athleticism and fierce fighting heart but most fans are unhappy with what they view as a gross mismatch.

Berto holds a respectable 30-3 record (with 23 knockouts) but his three losses have occurred in his last six bouts and the 31-year-old boxer-puncher is just two bouts removed from a 12th-round stoppage to gatekeeper Jesus Soto Karass.

Berto scored a sixth-round stoppage of Josesito Lopez in March but he had the look of a shopworn fighter during the early rounds against the rugged fringe contender. Still, despite being outworked by Lopez, Berto found a way to land his vaunted right hand and score two knockdowns to abruptly end the fight.

Berto proved that he still possesses world-class speed and power. Can he use these attributes to compete with the pound-for-pound king?

Here’s how Mayweather and Berto match up in 20 categories, both physical and intangible, with each fighter rated on a scale of 0 to 5. (A score of 100 would denote the perfect fighter.)

HAND SPEED

Mayweather – 5.0 Berto – 4.5

FOOTWORK

Mayweather – 4.5 Berto – 2.5

POWER (lead hand)

Mayweather – 4.0 Berto – 3.0

POWER (trail hand)

Mayweather – 4.0 Berto – 4.5

JAB

Mayweather – 5.0 Berto – 4.0

HOOK

Mayweather – 3.5 Berto – 3.0

CROSS/UPPERCUT

Mayweather – 5.0 Berto – 4.5

BODYPUNCHING

Mayweather – 4.0 Berto – 3.0

INFIGHTING SKILLS

Mayweather – 4.5 Berto – 3.0

ATHLETICISM

Mayweather – 5.0 Berto – 4.0

ENDURANCE

Mayweather – 4.5 Berto – 3.0

ABILITY TO SLIP AND BLOCK PUNCHES

Mayweather – 5.0 Berto – 2.5

PHYSICAL CONDITION

Mayweather – 5.0 Berto – 4.0

POISE AND ABILITY TO COPE WITH EXTERNAL PRESSURES

Mayweather – 5.0 Berto – 4.0

KILLER INSTINCT

Mayweather – 4.0 Berto – 4.0

INTELLIGENCE AND STRATEGIC DEXTERITY

Mayweather – 5.0 Berto – 2.5

CHIN AND RESILIENCE

Mayweather – 4.5 Berto – 3.5

EXPERIENCE

Mayweather – 5.0 Berto – 4.0

QUALITY OF OPPONENTS

Mayweather – 5.0 Berto – 4.0

CORNER

Mayweather – 5.0 Berto – 4.0

TOTAL:

MAYWEATHER: 92.5

BERTO: 71.5

SUMMARY AND PREDICTION: Mayweather will beat Berto to the jab while slipping and countering the younger man’s right-hand bombs with his own accurate straight rights. Berto will be repeatedly stunned and wobbled until the referee or his corner rescues him from further punishment.

Mayweather by late TKO.