August 5, 2015
Final Bout? Mayweather Confirms Next Opponent, Team Says It’s the Last
The king of speculation and money-making promotions, boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. has finally named his next opponent, and according to reports, this will be his last fight.
Mayweather confirmed Aug. 3 that he will square off against Andre Berto Sept. 12, seeking to boost his lifetime record to 49-0 after defeating Manny Pacquiao May 2.
The bout will occur in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and will be televised by Showtime. LA Times sports reporter Lance Pugmire tweeted that Mayweather promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe reports this is the boxer’s final fight of his career:
Told by @LEllerbe that this will be @FloydMayweather final fight. Believe it or not…
– Lance Pugmire (@latimespugmire) August 4, 2015
Appreciate all the love today. Also appreciate all the hate. All of it will fuel me til 9/12. #TheHarvestIsComing pic.twitter.com/Sy6WnjldgM
– Andre Berto (@AndreBerto) August 5, 2015
Some fans are skeptical that this will be Mayweather’s last fight and critics say this is yet another easy win for the fighter who’s seeking to boost his record.
“If we are to take Mayweather at his word, we are to believe that Mayweather, the undefeated welterweight champion and No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the sport, would like to fight someone who isn’t even a ranked contender to earn victory No. 49,” Bleacher Report’s Kelsey McCarson wrote in June.
Mayweather is expected to bank big again for this fight, as he’s known for earning millions via Pay-per-view. He broke the record for revenues after his bout against Pacquiao, earning more than $400 million in revenues.
He and his team are hosting a news conference about the fight Thursday.