This past weekend Andre Berto?s best assets were on display during a brief two-minute showcase as he starched Mexico City?s Freddy Hernandez with a beautifully placed right hand shot at the MGM Grand. While the Haitian-American was scintillating in defending his WBC welterweight crown, it was hard to get too hyped up considering that Hernandez wasn?t the type of fighter we wanted to see Berto in with at this point in his career.
At the post fight press conference following the bout Berto made it loud and clear that he is ready to step up in 2011 and face some superstars in the sport. A month back Berto told me that he would love to face Shane Mosley, Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao in that order but during the presser he seemed more focused on the Filipino star than he ever has. His promoter Lou Dibella would follow up by stating that a Pacquiao-Berto clash is ideal simply because Andre is a full-fledged welterweight and in the prime of his career at 27 years old.
Two weeks earlier Pacquiao had again impressed, winning a one-sided and brutal twelve-round decision over Antonio Margarito at Cowboys Stadium, and there is a list of possible suitors who would love test their ability against the eight division champion. Mosley is one of them, as is Juan Manuel Marquez, who finished off Michael Katsidis in nine heated rounds shortly after Berto?s victory. Whether or not Berto likes it, he doesn?t have the drawing power at this point in his career compared to those two and he very well could have to look at other avenues in the New Year.
According to our friends at Boxing Scene it looks as though Dibella fully understands that Mosley seems to be at the top of the pecking order to land a fight with Pacquiao and if that happens he could be looking to match Berto with Miguel Cotto or one of the top champions at 140 pounds. A Pacquiao-Mosley clash essentially eliminates the top two choices on Berto?s wish list but a look between 140 and 154 pounds shows some willing names.
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In two weekends Amir Khan will defends his WBA junior welterweight crown in Las Vegas against devastating puncher Marcos Maidana in an enticing clash of power and skills. On January 29th we will see a unification bout between WBO champion Timothy Bradley and WBC kingpin Devon Alexander in a fight that has been long discussed. Berto weighed in at 145 pounds for his last fight and could conceivably meet either winner at a catch weight.
Of those four names mentioned above, Khan?s name seems to resonate most loudly, as the British star has shown great progression under trainer Freddie Roach in recent times. Khan possesses speed, power and fluidity, all evidenced in his May thrashing of Paulie Malignaggi in New York, and he is the clear favorite to upend Maidana when they meet at the Mandalay Bay. A fight between him and Berto is definitely intriguing and he very well could trouble Andre by keeping the fight at a distance.
A year ago Cotto?s career was in serious question as he was coming off of a heartbreaking late round stoppage loss to Pacquiao. Cotto was dropped in rounds three and four before being overwhelmed by Pacquiao?s speed and combination punching down the stretch. His face was a bloody mask by the time the fight was waived off and it was the second punishing TKO defeat of his career as he suffered the same fate to Tijuana?s Antonio Margarito in the summer of 2008 inside the MGM Grand. Those brutal losses were reason enough for many to point to Cotto?s retirement but to his credit he would bounce back on June 5th with a 9th round stoppage over Yuri Foreman at Yankee Stadium in his first fight at 154 pounds as he netted the WBA junior middleweight crown.
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A Cotto-Berto matchup as always been a showdown that has fascinated me because of the style matchup that exists. Both men are physically strong boxer-punchers and I could see the contest boiling down to a war of wills in the trenches. I asked Berto?s trainer Tony Morgan whether or not he felt that Cotto had fully bounced back with the Foreman victory but he didn?t take the bait.
?I think he?s still damaged goods,? Morgan told me last month. ?I think if you watch the fight closely against Yuri, there were hints when Yuri touched him that it looked like it rattled Miguel. Yuri truthfully, and I love Yuri and he?s a great kid, he couldn?t crack an egg. I think as long as they pick the right opponents they are going to put some money in his pocket. They need to keep him away from any type of puncher.?
Whatever direction Andre Berto takes it?s safe to say that there is no reason he shouldn?t be seriously tested in the coming year. He may not find himself in a super fight quite yet but there are a bevy of young champions and veteran titlists around him and the time for him to step up is now. Berto?s talent has always been evident but now we?ll get to see him swim in some deeper and more dangerous waters.
Chris Robinson is based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. He can be reached at [email protected]
