It's on: Floyd Mayweather, Andre Berto make weight for Saturday's title fight
Floyd Mayweather, left, and Andre Berto face off during weigh-ins. (Joe Camporeale, Paste BN Sports)
LAS VEGAS - If this was indeed Floyd Mayweather's final weigh-in, he will leave the sport with one pound to spare.
Mayweather, boxing's pound-for-pound king who says Saturday night's welterweight title fight against Andre Berto will be his last, weighed in at 146 pounds, one pound under the limit for the weight class.
Berto, his hand-picked opponent, came in even lighter at 145. Both fighters looked in marvelous shape, sporting six-pack abs and toned, muscular frames.
Mayweather, 38, who usually gets booed at his weigh-ins, got a mostly positive reaction from the crowd of approximately 6,000 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, sensing that this might be the last time they see the welterweight and super welterweight champ step on the scales.
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The big milestone Mayweather is trying to equal, in his 26th championship fight, is Rocky Marciano's undefeated record of 49-0. Mayweather has 48 wins without a loss, including 26 KOs, coming into the fight.
Mayweather is guaranteed $32 million for the fight, which is almost $200 million less than he made for the Manny Pacquiao fight in May. Berto (30-3, 23 KOs) will earn $4 million.
This fight has been devoid of much of a buzz coming off the Pacquiao fight hangover, though the controversy surrounding an SB Nation story that Mayweather received a saline and vitamin IV before the Pacquiao fight has created a buzz of its own.
There are not great expectations for the pay-per-view buys, either. Showtime Sport boss Stephen Espinoza has said he would not be surprised if it did not reach one million buys.
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Berto, who has lost three of his last six fights, is a 30-1 underdog at the Las Vegas sports books. Few are giving him any chance of handing Mayweather his first career loss, but the fighter from Winter Haven, Fla., trained by the highly respected Virgil Hunter, has quickness and power that Mayweather said he is not overlooking.
"I don't overlook any opponent. I've been here before," he said. "I know what it takes for a fight of this magnitude. Just stay focused, and go out there and do what I do best, and that's win."
When Showtime ringside reporter Jim Gray reminded Berto of his heavy underdog status, the fighter said, "It don't matter. Where I come from, we never had a chance to come out of that. The fact that I'm here, that tells you something."
Then Gray brought up the huge upset on Friday, with unheralded Roberta Vinci beating Serena Williams at the U.S. Open and thus denying the American superstar a calendar tennis Grand Slam. Berto, asked if he thinks lightning can strike twice in one weekend, said, "Of course, man. God is good. Everybody just tune in."
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Mayweather made it a point to give some love to the fans.
"Last time I'm ever getting on a scale, but I want to thank all the fans in here," he said after he hit the scales. "It was always easy for me to make the 147-pound weight. I can't wait to get out there and give the fans excitement tomorrow."
There was still more love remaining for those who have supported Mayweather through the highs and lows of his Hall of Fame career.
"Out of a 19-year career, to be world champion for 18 years, I couldn't do it without all the fans," he told Gray. "I look at this as he's another tough guy, he has a high knockout ratio, he's a rugged competitor, but I've faced everybody in the sport of boxing. I faced Pacquiao, I faced (Miguel) Cotto, I've faced Canelo (Alvarez). I've already faced the best fighters.
"We had a great training camp, but the main thing is going out there, being at my best, and since Pacquiao didn't give the fans a good fight, tomorrow's going to be a great fight."