If there was anyone synonymous with refereeing Floyd Mayweather fights in Las Vegas in the past, it was Hall of Famer Joe Cortez. Mayweather recently announced that he would be facing Andre Berto in his final fight of his career on September 12 in Las Vegas. The outcry on social media and the reaction from most boxing insiders to this fight was negative.
Berto is 3-3 in his last fights and not many feel he deserves such an opportunity. In fact, when Mayweather mentioned Berto and Karim Mayfield as possible opponents in late June, most of the media laughed it off. Well, Mayweather was being serious and will now take on Berto on pay-per-view.
Cortez feels it’s an interesting fight.
“I think it’s going to be an interesting fight,” Cortez told On The Ropes Boxing.
“Mayweather is looking for his 49th win; he’s been champion for the last 17 consecutive years, and he’s definitely one of the better fighters out there today, pound-for-pound.”
Though it’s interesting, Corte feels it’s a safe fight for Mayweather.
“Mayweather’s 38 years old, but he’s fighting like a 22-year-old man,” stated Cortez. “He has all the boxing skills as a young fighter but with a lot of experience under his belt. Andre Berto is a fair fighter; he’s competitive, but no danger for Floyd Mayweather.”
Cortez was asked if he feels this will be Mayweather’s last hurrah but being that Cortez feels Mayweather would like to for 50-0, and this won’t be his last fight.
“If he wants to break the Marciano record, if he wants to go for 50 wins, – a fighter like Floyd Mayweather who doesn’t get hit that often and doesn’t get hurt – he says he’s going to retire with this fight.
I think that’s just a lot of talk coming out of his mouth because I don’t think that a fighter is going to pass up a couple hundred million dollars just because this is last fight with Showtime. I don’t think he’s going to walk away. I think he’s going to be back next year to fight a couple more fights before he retires.”
