Mosley-Berto made official for January 30

by Scott Christ on Nov 14, 2009 2:48 PM EST in Boxing News Analysis

The press conference to announce the January 30 welterweight title unification (perhaps) between WBA titlist Shane Mosley and WBC titleholder Andre Berto is underway in Las Vegas, meaning that fight is now a 100% good to go, ready to roll, gonna happen without an injury lock, and that is good, good news.

The fight will put the winner in prime position for a huge fight later next year against either Floyd Mayweather Jr. or the Cotto-Pacquiao winner, or even perhaps the Cotto-Pacquiao loser. None of those fights are bad, either. If Berto beats Mosley, he's an undefeated young stud with a huge win on his record and a title belt of some sort. He becomes very attractive at that point. Top Rank has floated the idea that Manny Pacquiao will return on March 13, which could shift some. The original idea for Pacquiao's second 2009 fight was October, too, and it wound up November 14.

The most interesting quote I've seen from the Mosley-Berto presser is courtesy the Twitter page of Yahoo! Sports columnist Kevin Iole, who posted this bit from Berto promoter Lou DiBella: "Margarito was caught for the cheater he is. ... He made Shane look better than he is."

Tweet Comment 12 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Should be a good one

About as high caliber fight as you can possibly expect for free. I favor Shane heavily here, but Berto couldn’t ask for a better shot to prove that he’s amongst the elite at welterweight.

by The Boxer Rebellion on Nov 14, 2009 3:18 PM EST reply actions

If Berto Wins

And looks awesome, how great would the Floyd Berto fight that would never happen be?

by Waldo Rastel on Nov 14, 2009 3:37 PM EST reply actions

A hell of a lot better than the Floyd / Marquez fight,

but not as good as Floyd / Pacquiao.

Boxing writer: "Iran, what are you going to do when you retire?"
Iran Barkley: "Rob your house"

by Matt Miller on Nov 14, 2009 5:03 PM EST up reply actions

It would be awesome

But Floyd would not let it happen…..boo

by Waldo Rastel on Nov 14, 2009 5:17 PM EST up reply actions

You bet your ass Floyd-Berto would happen

Berto is ALL WRONG for Floyd, no matter what happens in the Mosley fight. If Money May’s able to make a fight that’s almost as big as a Pacman fight but the opponent gets a much smaller cut, he’d jump all over that in a heartbeat.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Nov 14, 2009 5:41 PM EST up reply actions

With the caveat that the opponent is an easy win

Berto is much better for Mayweather than Mosley though, stylistically. So is Pacquiao really, but then the split becomes an issue.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Nov 14, 2009 5:42 PM EST up reply actions

I read somewhere that Al Haymon won’t let his fighters fight against each other, but that could be wrong.

by taco pal on Nov 14, 2009 5:45 PM EST up reply actions

Berto and Money

Doesn’t Berto always demand way too much money, aka the reason this fight took forever to get set. Berto is going to want close to a 50/50 – 60/40 split especially if he looks good, which Floyd will never give him. Also there will be way more money in the winner of the Pac-Cot, even if Cot wins, than Floyd -Berto.

by Waldo Rastel on Nov 14, 2009 6:14 PM EST up reply actions

i dont’ think he’s stupid enough to demand a 50-50 with money may

The Dude Abides

by battle axe of doom on Nov 14, 2009 6:16 PM EST up reply actions

Being a feature star on HBO makes people do dumb things, even 60/40 is ridiculous.

by Waldo Rastel on Nov 14, 2009 6:22 PM EST up reply actions

Even if he demands $3 or $4 million

then Mayweather ends up making more from a Berto fight than from a Pacquiao fight, in all likelihood.

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Nov 14, 2009 8:22 PM EST up reply actions

And if Mosley wins...

he could still wind up on the outside looking in if Pacman wins tonight and manages to get Floyd to agree to fight him. Mosley v. Cotto is still a nice fight in that scenario, but it isn’t a megafight. I don’t think Floyd fights him under any circumstances.

by The Boxer Rebellion on Nov 14, 2009 5:11 PM EST reply actions