Berto’s body, mind right for Mayweather bout

If Andre Berto loses to Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden, it won't be because he was unprepared.

Virgil Hunter will see to that. Berto's trainer knows Mayweather well. So well, in fact, that his game plan isn't a game plan at all. He wants Berto to be Berto, fight without fear or reservation, and if it's not good enough, so be it.

"Our only plan is to win," Hunter said. "When you have a plan and it doesn't work, you get frustrated. I don't want Andre to be frustrated. I just want him to fight.

"It's like being an expert burglar. If you're going to rob someone's house, what do you do? You case the place and you're going to try the door. If the door's locked, you're going to try the window. But the expert burglar never gets frustrated. Eventually, you're going to find a way to break in."

Their relationship goes back to when Berto was 11 years old and fighting in the amateurs. Hunter didn't work with him then, but they got to know each other and have maintained their friendship.

When Berto (30-3, 23 knockouts) decided to change trainers after losing to Robert Guerrero in November 2012, he chose Hunter.

"I just thought I needed something different," Berto, 32, said. "Virgil Hunter is a very technical trainer. I hadn't been in the gym where it feels like you're in school every day. I've picked up a lot of knowledge and technical IQ.

"Virgil is also someone I trust. I know he has my back. He's family to me."

For Hunter, it has been more than just teaching Berto where to move in the ring, when to pick his shots and how to evade pressure. He needed to get his fighter's mind right.

Never is mindset more important than against the 38-year-old Mayweather, whose mind games have caused more than one fighter to get caught up in the moment and forget everything they had planned in order to defeat him.

"It starts from the time the promotion begins to the weigh-in to when he comes to the ring to when he enters the ring," Hunter said of Mayweather (38-0, 26 KOs). "Floyd is all about control. And if you let him own that ring, you're done.

"We're not going to let him own the ring Saturday."

Berto, who will make $4 million (Mayweather is expected to get about $32 million), is a 30-1 underdog. To Hunter, that's perfect fodder to motivate his fighter, even though Hunter is well aware virtually no one outside of their camp is giving Berto any chance to defeat Mayweather.

"History is full of examples where someone wasn't expected to win and won," he said. "Buster Douglas against Mike Tyson. Houston with Elvin Hayes against UCLA. (Muhammad) Ali vs. George Foreman. You can raise your level on one night and come out on top.

"Does Andre Berto have the ability to fight over his head and win? Of course he can. But with Floyd's IQ, we're not going to try and match it. We've got other elements that we're going to use."

As for the odds being against his fighter, Hunter said: "If that doesn't motivate you, what are you here for? He's not giving in to what's being said or written. He's not paying attention to social media. His mind is where it's supposed to be."

Berto said: "I never go into a fight thinking I'm going to lose. I've been beating the odds my whole life."

He has lost three of his last six fights. He injured his right shoulder while losing to Jesus Soto-Karass in July 2013, his first fight with Hunter working his corner. He had surgery, healed and has won his last two fights.

On Sept. 6 last year, Berto outpointed Steven Upsher in a 10-round unanimous decision, then stopped Josesito Lopez in the sixth round March 13. The latter performance likely gave Mayweather enough reason to pick Berto as his opponent for what he claims will be his farewell fight.

Berto said it's up to him to take advantage of the opportunity. He always believed he and Mayweather would meet.

"I have the combination of speed, power and I'm in incredible shape," Berto said. "I'm younger, I'm hungry and it's a great recipe for victory.

"Saturday night, I'm coming for my respect."

* NOTES — Today's free weigh-in at the Grand Garden is at 3 p.m. Doors open at noon. ... The fight is not a sellout, with a few thousand seats remaining. The Grand Garden, often scaled as large as 16,500 seats for boxing, will have a capacity of 14,500 Saturday. ... Unlike most of Mayweather's recent fights, there is no closed circuit telecast at other MGM properties.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him: @stevecarprj