Former two-time welterweight titlist Andre Berto will attempt to shock the world on Saturday against unbeaten Floyd Mayweather, in what the pound-for-pound king has announced will be the last fight of his career.
Berto (30-3, 23 KOs), who holds an interim belt, will challenge Mayweather (48-0, 26 KOs) for his welterweight titles at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (Showtime PPV, 8 p.m. ET on Saturday).
While Berto has looked inconsistent in his most recent fights and has overcome serious injuries that have robbed him of potential, no one denies that he could rediscover the level of performance that propelled him into the limelight.
With nothing to lose and with the calmness that comes from being a heavy underdog, Berto will try to spring the big surprise. In order to achieve this, he needs to take into account the following keys.
1. Step back and punch
At times, being the sacrificial lamb can be used to your advantage. Mayweather will certainly look for the knockout, which will present a good opportunity to spring a surprise on the counterattack. In other words, we may see a different Floyd -- sloppy in defense and aggressive in attack. If so, Berto needs to take advantage of this, stepping back intelligently and throwing punches into the gaps in Floyd's defense.
2. Return to the past
Berto opened his career with a streak of 26 consecutive victories. During this stage, his jab and uppercut were his key weapons, helping him knock out 21 of 26 opponents. It may sound like science fiction to even contemplate it, but if these memories can be harnessed and we see the Berto of old, there's no doubt he will have a better chance of winning this fight.
3. Size, smarts, determination
Berto is a natural welterweight. He has never fought below 147 pounds, and he weighed 162 in his pro debut. In this fight, he can make his weight count. However, in order to achieve this, he needs to focus on being smart and rely on his determination. Fights are not always won with months and months of preparation; sometimes the hunger to win and to make history proves sufficient to achieve the greatest feats.
4. "Andre the astute"
It's nothing new to say that this may be Mayweather's last fight, and as such, it's possible that he might overlook Berto or employ a different boxing style. If this proves to be the case, Berto should be watchful and take advantage of every possibility. He should let Mayweather dictate the proceedings, allow him to come forward, and take advantage of any lapses or errors to attack unexpectedly with power shots. A surprise is possible, but it will come about only if Berto is cunning enough to spot the opportunity.
5. The Hunter factor
With Virgil Hunter in his corner, Berto has won his past two fights. And Hunter has already warned us not to expect a complicated game plan from his fighter. "Complicated plans don't work against a fighter like Mayweather," Hunter said. Apparently, Hunter's idea is to go back to basics in search of a victory that seems impossible. Will it work? It's difficult to answer. But what is clear is that Hunter will be behind whatever Berto achieves in the ring, whether good or bad.