Floyd Mayweather doesn’t have to justify his decisions to anyone. But even the man known as Money felt the need to recently explain his reasoning to fight Andre Berto and why, once again, British fighter Amir Khan was shunned by the undefeated American.
Mayweather is scheduled to fight Berto, who has lost three of his last six fights, in Las Vegas on September 12 in a bout that is being billed as his last-ever fight. According to Money, Khan would have been in the frame, had he got the better of Danny Garcia in 2012.
Amir Khan has to get past Danny Garcia first,” said Mayweather, per Oliver Todd of the MailOnline. “Once Amir Khan can get past Danny Garcia then the fight would’ve happened but that’s not my focus.”
Mayweather went on to explain why he thinks Berto deserves his chance on the biggest stage
You look at the junior middleweight and the welterweight division. The two divisions: one division I'm undisputed champion at... The other division I hold two titles at.
There’s one man that stands all alone, Floyd Mayweather. So I looked at the division, I looked and said 'who’s always in a tough, exciting fight, who has quick hands, who’s a boxer puncher, who always give it 100 per cent every time they go out.' (It's) Andre Berto.
As reported by Edward Chaykovsky of BoxingScene.com, Khan told Sport360 he’d “love to have a rematch” with Garcia, but the American’s camp are not keen on the bout. Garcia remains undefeated after his impressive recent debut at welterweight, dismantling Paulie Malignaggi to take his career record to 31 wins from 31 fights.
It’s evident the division is loaded with talent, which makes the Mayweather-Berto fight all the more disappointing, as noted by Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated:
But this could be a blessing in disguise for Khan. The Brit has seemed besotted by a potential showdown with Mayweather at times over the past couple of years and it’s a pursuit that will have surely been a major distraction for him. Now, in a weight class that’s bristling with class, he can focus on some intriguing bouts that are likely to come his way.
Mayweather may have earned the right to fight whoever he wants, but to end his storied career against a fighter of Berto’s calibre would be so anticlimactic. It’s not often you hear Money talking an opponent up prior to the two squaring off; with the fight failing to capture the imagination of boxing fans, it seems obvious why he’s doing so this time.
The friction between the two began back in 2014 when Mayweather claimed he didn't know who Ronda Rousey was, even suggesting he thought he was being asked about a man.
The UFC star hasn't sat back and allowed Mayweather to have things all his own way though. Rousey used the recent ESPY Awards to land her latest verbal blow on the fighter, making reference to Mayweather's checkered history with domestic violence.
Floyd Mayweather isn't the kind of man to let someone else have the last word so Rousey had to be expecting a reaction.
But, whilst the boxer looked to emphasize his position at the top of the fighting pedestal, he did have to uncharacteristically kind words for his UFC rival, too:
"A while back I didn’t know who Ronda Rousey was, so I’m pretty sure she got upset. I want to say congratulations to Ronda Rousey and the UFC."
"You guys have done a tremendous job and I’ve won probably six or seven ESPYS for Fighter of the Year. And I truly believe she deserves it. Congratulations to Ronda Rousey.”
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