Unbeaten WBA World welterweight champion Keith Thurman (26-0, 22 KO’s) does not see a problem with Floyd Mayweather fighting former welterweight titlist Andre Berto.
Thurman, 26, who is close friends with Berto, told On The Ropes Boxing Radio that the Haitian was always one fight away from a Mayweather clash, but adversity took over the boxer’s career.
“There was a time in the boxing world where in my opinion, Berto was always like one fight away from fighting Floyd Mayweather,” Thurman said.
“The first example was when he was supposed to fight ‘Sugar’ Shane Mosley and then the Haiti accident occurred and he went in and supported his fellow Haitians in their time of need over taking that fight. He had already accepted the fight, but he had to back out of it due to the tragic accident.”
Although Thurman has been ramping up his trash talk against the undefeated Mayweather, he has no issue with the champion fighting his pal.
“As far as him fighting Berto, he just got done fighting Manny Pacquiao. I’m learning just from my little bit of time being in the spotlight – and trying to entertain everybody in the world of boxing – that at the end of the day, no matter who you fight, you don’t please everybody.”
Mayweather’s selection of Andre Berto as his “final” opponent has been largely criticized because Berto has lost three of his last six fights – including a 12th round TKO defeat to Jesus Soto Karass – who Thurman stopped himself in 2013.
However, Mayweather has retired multiple times in his career and has comeback each time to dominate the sport. Thurman says there is no evidence that Mayweather is going to hang up the gloves in September.
“There is no evidence that it will be his final opponent,” Thurman told Boxing News Online. “It’s the final fight of his Showtime contract that he signed three years ago. That is what it is official. It does not mean that it is the final fight of Floyd Mayweather’s career – that is up to him.”
Tha Boxing Voice reported in July that Mayweather was in negotiations with CBS/Showtime on an exclusive three-fight extension. Attempts to get ahold of a source at Mayweather Promotions to determine if a decision has been made on the deal were unsuccessful, and voicemails were left unanswered.
