A loss is never easy in boxing. Especially in this day and age when boxers fight so infrequently and every single bout result is instantly transmitted to every corner of the world via internet. The days of being able to take a loss and quietly regroup before getting back in the ring are long gone. Now, whether it turns out to be true or not, every loss starts the buzz of whether the defeated fighter is “done.”
Over the last two weeks, three major fighters suffered tough losses in bouts that were considered extremely important to their long term plans.
Last Saturday, Andre Berto was fighting to come back from an ugly nineteen-month stretch that saw him lose to Victor Ortiz and then draw controversy with a positive drug test prior to an Ortiz rematch. A victory over Robert Guerrero on HBO was supposed to bring him back to where he used to be and make the case that he is, indeed, an elite welterweight despite all the setbacks.
Despite a brave effort, though, Berto was battered into an ugly mess and eventually beaten via unanimous decision. Guerrero would be the one affirmed as a top welterweight and Berto would be cast into a deeper hole than before.
Two weeks ago, Seth Mitchell was looking to steamroll Johnathon Banks and keep the hype train on its track. Mitchell was being regarded as America’s last heavyweight hope and, despite a fairly flimsy resume, was getting major play from all media sources and many fans.
Unfortunately for Mitchell, his chin couldn’t support the weight put on his shoulders and he fell to the less-than-stellar punching power of Banks in the second round.
In the main event of the Mitchell-Banks upset, Antonio DeMarco was set to defend his WBC lightweight title against fast-rising future superstar, Adrien Broner. Few were giving DeMarco much of chance, but the Mexican scrapper is as tough as anyone in the sport and had come to world title glory after battling homelessness and an old school climb up the rankings.
At the end of the evening, though, world class athleticism won out and Broner walked right through DeMarco, closing the show after eight one-sided rounds.
So, what now for these high profile fighters dealing with the sting of defeat?
Andre Berto has the right connections to find himself pushed right back into a prime HBO slot. Manager/Adviser, Al Haymon can definitely cut through ted tape and get his guys plenty of exposure on either HBO or Showtime. The question is whether Berto can win another big bout at this point or if another premium cable appearance will provide another decisive, yet entertaining loss.
The best bet for Berto would be to swallow some pride, take some time off and work on the obvious technical and tactical deficiencies that have become apparent recently. Berto is only 29 and even a two or three year slowdown wouldn’t be too bad for his chances at a solid comeback. Along the way, the former two-time world champ could be fed some journeymen and/or fringe contenders to rebuild confidence and work on aspects such as an improved inside game and a more focused overall ring plan.
Seth Mitchell will have a tough time now that his chin has been exposed as a major weakness. With the mystique squashed, Mitchell will have to stop relying solely on athleticism and relatively heavy hands. Mitchell, much like Berto, will have to take a few steps back and seriously work on the finer aspects of the sport. A greatly revamped defense would definitely keep him in the game longer, but won’t likely take him anywhere near the top of the heavyweight division.
Antonio DeMarco may have the easiest time coming back as the tough battler will be able to fall back under the radar and rebuild his way to another title shot without much media scrutiny. Still heavy-handed and tenacious, DeMarco simply lost to a stellar talent in Broner, but would still be competitive against any of the other top lightweights in the sport.
In boxing, successful comebacks are commonplace– almost as common as failed comebacks. For Andre Berto and Seth Mitchell, the key will be to take a few steps backwards and work on some of the issues that caused their high-profile loss. For Demarco, he’ll need to return to the hardcore Mexican club circuit for a bit, but assuming the one-sided loss doesn’t wreak havoc on his confidence, he should be just fine as a good, solid contender.
