:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/imported_assets/254080/pciture_20of_20andre_20berto.jpg)
BoxingScene.com reports that Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer has informed them that there is a tentative deal for a January 30 fight between welterweight titleholders Shane Mosley and Andre Berto, and only Floyd Mayweather Jr. might get in the way.
From T.K. Stewart:
Leonard Ellerbe, Mayweather's advisor and CEO of Mayweather promotions, told BoxingScene.com that he believes a bout between his man and Shane Mosley is one that will take place.
"I think they will eventually fight," said Ellerbe. "If you're asking me when, I don't know."
At last night's post fight press conference after his unanimous decision win over Juan Manuel Marquez, Mayweather said, "All roads lead to me."
I'm still betting on Mosley as Mayweather's next fight, but maybe Floyd does want to wait until next summer to fight again, which I was guessing he wouldn't. Mosley-Berto on January 30 wouldn't get in the way, at least assuming Mosley won. And if Mosley lost to Berto, that'd be a good way for Floyd to avoid the Cotto-Pacquiao winner, which it seems is the preferred opponent among the boxing fans paying to see the fights.
Mosley-Berto is a good fight, and I think just on experience you have to favor Sugar Shane, but while Berto has been taking some flak lately for not stepping up into the top levels of the 147-pound division, he just might surprise some people and be too young and too fresh for Shane. He's just as fast as Mosley and not nearly as stationary a target as Mosley's last two opponents, Ricardo Mayorga and Antonio Margarito. He'll be a lot harder for Shane to find.
I like the fight and hope it comes off. It's a fight between what I'd rank now as the No. 2 and No. 5 welterweights. But if Mayweather is the reason it doesn't happen, I'm OK with that, too.