Andre Berto defeats Jan Zaveck, becomes world title holder once more
After 5 rounds of completed boxing at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi last night, the game but outworked Jan Zaveck 31-2 (18 KO?s), the very first and only world champion of Slovenian descent, would not come out for round 6 as referee Fred Steinwinder III would wave the bout off on the advice of the ringside physician after Zaveck suffered cuts on both eyelids stating in between rounds 5 and 6, ? I can?t see.? In the process and just like that, Andre Berto 28-1 (22 KO?s) of Winter Haven, Florida is a world welterweight champion once more, obtaining the IBF version of the title from Zaveck after recently relinquishing his WBC welterweight belt merely one fight ago back in April of this year to ?Vicious? Victor Ortiz in a two way knockdown festival and fight of the year candidate.
It is a wonder that this championship bout, broadcast on HBO Boxing, even went as far as it did, as neither man wasted any time throwing hard finishing type blows from the opening bell. Both men were able to withstand each others punches well, with Zaveck landing a prolific overhand right in the first few rounds, to then settle in and the action when up close and personal with short hooks and uppercuts. Those punches landed by Zaveck, however, were too few and far in between, as Berto would maintain his distance for the majority of each round to out throw and outland his opponent, repeatedly mixing body and head shots while Zaveck would just cover up in those instances which would end up being the proximate cause of Jan? first career stoppage loss. It was a game effort by the visiting champion in his first fight on U.S. soil, but fight fans could readily see that Jan Zaveck was no fluke, and was a champion for a reason. I must mention that kudos of sorts must be given to referee Steinwinder for commanding the participants to let their hands go and fight on the inside, as Berto has a tendency to repeatedly hold in close, at times making for lackluster and non fan friendly action. With that said, Berto fights are usually action packed and it?s hard to imagine that as a downside, but it?s there.
