Floyd Mayweather defends Andre Berto pick; Berto mocks 'Money' for Pacquiao fight

LOS ANGELES – The first leg on the final journey of Floyd Mayweather’s legendary career began in a hotel ballroom on Thursday with boxing’s pound-for-pound kingpin defending his choice of opponent and taking a few veiled shots at rivals such as Manny Pacquiao.

Mayweather insisted he won’t fight past his Sept 12 bout in Las Vegas against Andre Berto and laughed off a question from a reporter who pressed him about his interest in a fight with UFC star Ronda Rousey.

“You’re a comedian,” Mayweather said, shutting off the Rousey line of questioning after he was asked a third time about fighting Rousey.

He chided the media for making Pacquiao into more than he was and mocked reporters who had suggested he was afraid of the Filipino superstar during the six years fans were pleading with them to fight each other.

He said he built the May 2 fight, in which he defeated Pacquiao by a wide unanimous decision in a disappointingly dull match, into the financial juggernaut it became which sold a record 4.4 million pay-per-views, generated more than $500 million in gross revenue and earned him a purse of more than $250 million.

“At one particular time, that was a $50 million fight, but with the smart moves I made, I turned it into a $300 million, maybe $400 million fight,” Mayweather said.

He said he chose Berto because Berto is an exciting fighter and adamantly defended the selection in the face of stern criticism. Fans and reporters have repeatedly pointed out that Berto has never had a significant win and that other fighters, such as Amir Khan, Tim Bradley, Keith Thurman, Kell Brook and others, had a better case for it.

“I can only judge a man off his last fight,” Mayweather said. “He fought Josesito Lopez and he did the same thing that Canelo [Alvarez] did: He stopped him.”

Berto didn’t seem bothered by those who questioned his selection, speaking softly and in a measured tone. He did seem bothered by questions he said he’s been receiving about being a boring fighter.

That, more than his questions about his worthiness for the fight, seemed to anger him.

He pointed out how upset fans were after the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight and said there were similar reactions after Mayweather’s fights with Marcos Maidana and Robert Guerrero, as well.

“Have you ever seen a boring Andre Berto fight?” Berto asked. “No. Everybody needs to question Floyd. Everybody’s upset that the Floyd and Pacquiao fight was boring. ‘Oh, his last three or four pay-per-views, we’re paying money and it’s [expletive] boring.’ Ya’ll can’t take it out on these opponents, you know what I mean?

“Every time Pacquiao fights, it’s exciting. Every time Maidana fights, it’s exciting. Every time Guerrero fights, it’s exciting. Every time Andre Berto fights, it’s exciting. There is only one common denominator in that situation who’s making the problem. You can’t come at me and everybody else and say, ‘Ah, man. I don’t know if it’s going to do this or do that.’ [Expletive], every time I fight, I know what it is.”

Berto later said of the Pacquiao fight, which spawned numerous lawsuits, “I’m a boxing fan. I know how the people feel.”

Mayweather sloughed off the criticism as easily as he has his opponents’ punches through the years.

He comes as prepared for these media situations as he does for his fights, and he had an answer ready for every complaint.

“He’s fighting a boring fighter, but he’s getting his biggest payday,” Mayweather said in response, cracking a wry grin.

Mayweather said he’s been training harder for the Berto match than he did for the fight with Pacquiao, which was the most recent in the line of matches to be dubbed, “The Fight of the Century.”

He promised excitement, as he often does, but this time went further than he normally does.

“With the way he comes, and the way I’m going to come, this is the truth: If it’s not a knockout, there are going to be some knockdowns,” he said.

After the win over Berto, he said, he’s going into retirement and said there is nothing that could convince him to fight again.

Pressed about the money that would be there, he said he had enough and spoke of how much he enjoys being with his four children every day.

“These are the best days of my life,” he said of watching his children play joyfully at home.

He has a son that is 16 and wants a car, preferably a Bugatti. Mayweather said he’d probably buy him a Honda or a Jeep Wrangler. Though he’s known himself for his fleet of expensive cars, he said he drives a Suburban most days.

He drives his luxury cars to the gym, he said, as a way to motivate his fighters to achieve.

Boxing has given him more than he could ever have imagined and he’s not ready to fight on, particularly not in a fight against Rousey.

He apologized for not knowing who she was a year ago when he was asked about her. He thought it was a male – Ron DeRousey – and didn’t realize someone was asking him about a woman. The question came up because UFC president Dana White at the time was telling reporters that Rousey would beat Mayweather.

He had some harsh words for White, whom he had a relationship with at the beginning of his career. In his first pro fight, Mayweather wore a patch from White’s clothing line on his trunks for free, which White confirmed.

But he seemed annoyed at questions about mixed martial arts and poked fun at White.

“You go back to Day 1 of my career – Day 1 – … and Dana White used to be with us,” Mayweather said. “He worked for us. [I wore his logo] when nobody else knew who Dana White was. He was a square white guy before he cut his hair off and became a tough guy in MMA.

“He was a little square guy and used to run around with me and ask me to wear his patch. I said I’d do it for free, that little Bullenbeiser patch. I did it for free. I showed him love. I’m proud of how far he has come.”

Someone suggested to Mayweather that MMA promoters and fighters used his name to enhance their reputation.

With someone setting the ball on the tee for him like that, Mayweather couldn’t resist taking a whack.

“I’m in the $100 million business, not the $100,000 business, you know?” he said.

Soon, he’ll be in the retirement business and won’t have to worry about upstaging rivals.

On the way out, though, he gave them some advice.

“You have to play the hand you were dealt,” he said. Then, grinning, he added, “But I was dealt a royal flush and I'm just have to be happy and appreciative of the hand I was dealt. I don’t have anything negative to say about anyone.”

Off he went to get ready to watch a WNBA game at the nearby Staples Center. Then, it was back to Vegas to resume training.

He said he’s loved boxing, but is ready for it to be over.

“I’m an old man, now,” he said. “I’m an old man. … I keep my fingers crossed every day that my company, we find the next Floyd Mayweather. I really want to see that. I love Vegas and going to the fight and seeing the hotels packed and everyone hanging out.”

And for one more time, at least, they will while his name still headlines the marquee.

Then he’ll be off for a future of who knows what.

As he left, he smiled at a familiar face and said, “I’ll be gone, but I know you won’t forget me. You’ll never forget me.”