Mayweather-Berto and a Strange Undercurrent

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It is no secret that Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Andre Berto lacks the buzz of previous Mayweather fights. From the reports that more than 2,000 seats still remain available at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas to the numerous pundits that have panned the matchup as less than intriguing, there is a distinct possibility that this qualifies as Mayweather’s least anticipated fight since he became boxing’s top attraction when he beat Oscar De La Hoya in 2007.

However, there is something interesting going on behind the curtain, and it is difficult to make out as fact or fiction. The selection of Berto as an opponent has always been a curious one considering that the Haitian-American has done little to actually earn a crack at the pound-for-pound king. He failed to qualify for the Mayweather Sweepstakes in two previous efforts against Robert Guerrero and Victor Ortiz, but he now ends up with the fight despite going 3-3 in his last six appearances, with the most notable win on his resume coming against Josesito Lopez.

While some see this as Mayweather picking an opponent that he is expected to beat up on, there have been hints that the reasons behind the matchmaking run a bit deeper.

Mayweather and Berto have known each other for some time: There have been pictures of the two fighters together from back in Berto’s Golden Gloves days in the early 2000s. Berto has stated that the two men were familiar with one another and have met on several occasions, but upon closer inspection, the ties are a little stronger.

Back in June, a TMZ Sports report surfaced about Berto’s claim that “Money” was harassing him with phone calls regarding a relationship Berto has maintained with Mayweather’s ex-fiancé Shantel Jackson and her new boyfriend, rapper Nelly. Mayweather never lent any credence to the report, but it is interesting that it was published before he officially selected Berto for his final fight.

Earlier this week, Berto alluded to the idea that shared relationships with individuals might be at the root of the rift and the reason behind why he was plucked seemingly out of thin air for the opportunity. Berto’s trainer, Virgil Hunter, addressed the lingering personal issues at the final pre-fight press conference on Wednesday: “There’s something brewing in the air between them.”

For a fight that is struggling to sell tickets, one would think that Mayweather would play up the possibility of a feud to help generate interest. Curiously, he has done everything in his power to avoid addressing possible personal strife between the two fighters. That, in itself, should raise eyebrows considering that Mayweather has always been one to angle for ways to market his fights.

It is rather peculiar that Mayweather has consistently shot down any previous indiscretions between himself and Berto. Even stranger is the way Berto continues to refer to personal issues with Mayweather, only to resist providing details. Could there really be something brewing between the two fighters, a feud that has driven Mayweather to pay Berto in order to punish him in the ring for whatever has transpired between them? With Mayweather, you never truly know the motivation. Well, that is not entirely true. It has always been about the money, but this time, he is exuding little effort into selling this fight to the fans and appears to be focused on something else.

It is possible that Berto is the one who is trying to drum up interest in the fight by creating problems that do not exist. However, if you follow the paper trail, it is evident that there is something afoot that only those two know about. Whether or not we will ever find out is left up to them.

Andreas Hale is a content producer for Jay Z's LifeandTimes.com and editor-in-chief of PremierWuzHere.com, as well as a frequent Sherdog.com columnist. Check out his archive here.