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11/02/2024 05:34:47 pm

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Boxing News & Rumors: Andre Berto Is Floyd Mayweather's Last Fight, Says Leonard Ellerbe

Leonard Ellerbe and Floyd Mayweather Jr.

(Photo : Getty Images) Leonard Ellerbe (L) and his boss Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Mayweather Promotions CEO Leonard Ellerbe confirmed that Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s fight against Andre Berto on September 12 would really be the last in his boss' storied career.

If that is really the case, then Mayweather will more likely end up tied for the undefeated win-loss record of boxing legend Rocky Marciano at 49-0, only that Rocky has significantly more knockout victories than the pay-per-view king at 43 versus 26.

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A lot of fans and boxing analysts think that the Berto match is just going to be a tune up fight for the current pound-for-pound champion to fight again next year and go for 50 and 0, particularly in a rematch with eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao.

But hearing Ellerbe's words, this may indeed be the last time people will see Money and his ethereal skills showcased inside a boxing ring.

"Here's a guy who's made well over a half-billion dollars, doing it his way, and he can ride off into the sunset after this," Ellerbe said, as reported by Boxing News 24. "That's a fact. This is Floyd's last fight. I'm not trying to sell it that way. This is going to be his last fight. And the fans get a chance to see Floyd in a very, very exciting fight with a guy that we know is coming to fight."

SkySports noted that the unbeaten American received a lot of flak for choosing someone like Berto as his final opponent when he could have chosen "more deserving" fighters such as Gennady Golovkin, Amir Khan, Keith Thurman, Danny Garcia, or Shawn Porter.

However, there were also some pundits who have opined that Berto is the perfect opponent antagonist for Mayweather's retirement bout, except perhaps for Golovkin, as he is popular in America and is known as an exciting fighter that takes risks and gives everything he's got.

Meanwhile, Bleacher Report indicated that Pacquiao's trainer, Freddie Roach, hinted of Mayweather's plans to have a rematch with his boxer maybe in May again next year.

The cocky coach Roach even said that if ever that happens, his ward will "100 percent" beat the champion this time.

"Manny would do much better in a rematch if the shoulder gets better," Roach said. "We were doing well until the shoulder went in the fourth round and we had a tough time after that. I do think we can beat Mayweather 100 percent."

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