Wednesday night, the boxing internet partially broke the news that Floyd Mayweather will likely fight Andre Berto on CBS, free TV, on September 12th from Las Vegas. The story was broken by a source of The Sweet Science Reporter Michael Woods.
Woods has tried to contact Floyd Mayweather’s public relations team, Swanson Communications, as well as Andre Berto himself as confirmations with neither responding back to him. He has also contacted Showtime Network, and they said, “The network has no comment at this time.”
Woods also said that the fight will be marketed as a “give back” fight for the fans who were upset with spending so much on the Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao fight back on May 2nd, a fight that lacked the fireworks that many casual fans expected.
However, most of you boxing fans reading this already know this, so this isn’t about that as a breaking story, it’s about the reaction that social media has had to the news in the last 24 hours, as it seems as if people, particularly boxing fans, just love to find things to complain about.
Way back in early June, Mayweather stated that he would likely fight either Andre Berto or Karim Mayfield for this fight.
Many fans either ignored because they didn’t take him seriously, or they just never thought a fight like that could be made realistically, but as we stand here today, it could be real.
Since the story from Woods came out Wednesday evening, most fans have completely bashed the fight, either calling Berto a bum or saying to boycott Mayweather. There are a few people, like me, that have said they are fine with it because it will be a non-PPV fight.
I feel that this being a nationally televised fight should technically cancel out what anyone has to say about the fight.
When comparing this fight to other PPV fights, that weren’t exactly great. Would you rather watch Mayweather vs. Berto on free TV, or did you have more fun spending $60+ on Pacquiao vs. Brandon Rios? Or better yet, were you satisfied with spending money on Pacquiao vs. Chris Algieri?
Let’s look at what could have been, realistic other options. What’s better, Mayweather vs. Berto on free TV or Mayweather vs. Amir Khan for $70+? Some have said he should have picked Gennady Golovkin or Timothy Bradley, and while I would LOVE to see those two fights, I started the paragraph saying, “realistic other options.”
Those fights are pipe dreams and, people need to wake up, they aren’t going to happen.
The only realistic names that could be brought up for Floyd were Keith Thurman, Kell Brook, and Shawn Porter, but let’s be honest, wouldn’t a fight involving those three plus someone like Khan be much more exciting and fun than any of them fighting Mayweather?
Sometimes we have to think of the future instead of what is just in front of our eyes.
When we take a step back and look at everything, for someone who cannot afford to pay for a PPV fight, this maybe the only time in the last 5+ years you can see either Mayweather or Pacquiao fight live. No matter what fans may cry about, seeing one of the best of all-time fighting on nationally televised TV is good for the sport.
Mayweather only has a few fights remaining (yes, I said a few) and with rumors that he would also have his 50th fight on free TV, and other rumors that he will be the one opening that new boxing arena being built in Las Vegas as we speak, I for one am very happy to hear that everyone will be able to sit back September 12th, turn on normal CBS, and watch TBE….or something like that….oh yeah, and it’s free.