The Matchup Clottey called for this match which was funny because when he did I actually had trouble remembering who Andre Berto was ::. Half of me hopes it doesn't happen for Berto's sake the other half would welcome Clottey getting 2 belts and giving guys even less opportunity to duck him. Going from Judah to Berto is a bit of an easy road though. Berto despite all his talents is making the same mistake Judah is and fighting in the wrong weight class. Berto needs to drop some muscle and go to 140 and he needs to do it before he takes a severe beating from Clottey that could damage his career significantly. The Fight Clottey is way too durable for Berto and his defense is stellar whereas Berto has none. Consider, for as eluasive as Judah is, Berto is so much less. So you can just imagine how fucked up he's going to get fighting Clottey. I think Berto losses this one bad, he probably shouldn't even have a belt this early in his career. At 147 there are so many guys that could easily take that belt from him and most of them come with severe beatings.
147 is a GREAT DIVISION...hopefully these guys keep fighting each other... NOBODY has the high ground to say.."im not fighitng this guy..or that guy" like Mayweather....everybody has lose...or..are in a position that they can't bitch because they are prospect/champ*berto* Clottey vs. Cotto Berto vs. Quintana Margarito vs. Mosley Cintron vs. Williams mix 'em all up.... Berto vs. Clottey...IMO too soon for Berto..he should fight 2 or 3 of these guys Judah/Collazo/Karrass/Lujan before he takes on Marg/Clott/Cint/COtt... but still i think it closer than you make it out...Berto aggressiveness/speed/punch output will make it close early...and with a little luck Clottey stagnate in the late rounds...
Margarito vs. Clottey....won't make enough $$$$ for Arum/Margarito..and "if it' doesn't make dollars it doesnt' make sense"-Money May Maybe if MOSLEY look good vs. Mayorga...Margarito vs. Mosley can be set up...for December/January..artie:
Berto vs Cintron would be acceptable for Berto's next fight. That's a reasonable test. I'd favor Berto over Cintron.
That's a winnable fight for Cintron depending on where his confidence rests. Berto's lack of defense makes it a war which plays to Cintron's strength but Berto's speed will give him major problems. Tough one to call but I favor Berto's heart over Cintrons.
:bangh: Cintron's power + Berto lack of defense(over aggressiveness)= Cintron by KOTFO.... Clottey is a better matchup....for BERTO IMO...if Berto people wanna throw him in with Cintron...at least wait till Cintron has another fight see where hes at...
I think Berto outspeeds Cintron to a UD but Cintron can catch him, it's not guaranteed. You should know by now that PR fighters aren't guaranteed to win.
With Clottey...Berto could be hurt and recover...against Cintron it's one punch TARVER STYLE..shit GLEN style also...:crafty:..and you are done for the most part....one or two well place punches from Cintron and Berto won't come back...
I'm not even sure if Cintron's punches are going to hurt Berto before Berto's punches hurt him. I know most people see Cintron as this Trinidadian type of power puncher but I just don't see it and there is noway in hell I see it enough to believe Berto has a better shot of beating Clottey than he does Cintron. That is LOLable.
5'11 vs. 5'8.....Berto was drop by Cosme? was it?...Cintron has a small heart..but hes lack of heart only came up vs. Margarito...twice...and he still took a bunch of heart punches from Margarito..before he fell..
Berto needs to fight somebody. Carefully-guided careers like his are a significant problem in the sport. The guy has recieved a ton of premium television dates, yet despite being in a good division he's barely fought anybody. He got a shot at a vacant title against what is at best a marginal contender when another Al Haymon fighter, Mayweather, dropped the belt (after Berto was ranked high enough to be in line for it once it was vacated) and is now lined up for a defense against someone who, at best, is a solid/marginal contender at 140, not 147. DLH was roundly criticized for fighting Forbes and that wasn't even a title fight. Forbes was basically shutout in the fight and that fight was only three pounds north of where he'll fight Berto. How many other fighters get the kinds of opportunities and exposure Berto does for doing as little?
Actually pretty much everyone has. All of HBO's talented fighters got a chance to slowly build their legacy's. Berto has actually taken a lot less time to get a belt then has been the case with guys like Hatton and Cotto.
I'm not talking about HBO fighters, I'm talking about fighters. Period. Hatton's early career wasn't spent in the States or on HBO, so he doesn't really apply. His record was built up in England and then eventually he was introduced to the States on Shobox. That's far different than fighters like Berto, Cotto or Taylor (even worse than the other two, as he's basically been on HBO from cradle to the grave...or wherever it is he currently resides, maybe somewhere above ground, but that won't last if he fights elite super middles...like Kessler). Back to my point, the fact that fighters like Cotto, Taylor and Berto get easy paths laid out for them on HBO is a major problem with the sport because it limits the number of opportunities for competitive fights and limits the number of fighters who have a chance to fight on the network. Furthermore, you get fighters making it to a certain status (like world champions or highly rated contenders) in the sport and haven't even been truly tested. Part of the reason HBO broadcasts aren't must see anymore is becuase there's so few competitive fights on televised on them. Comparing the fighters, Cotto had a lot more exposure, as well as a following, fighting on Top Rank pay per view undercards before he became a staple on HBO, and people were far more convinced of his talent than they are of Berto's. Cotto was a fighter many people believed was "the goods", or at least a potentially elite world champion. Titles in two divisions and a top 5 p4p fighter (before the Margarito fight) suggest he's lived up to some of that. Opinions are far more varied on Berto. He's a good offensive fighter, but does his talent separate him that much from a number of other prospects around? Or is it simply his connections that get him those HBO dates? Berto getting a first defense against Steve Forbes is an embarrassment.
Berto is too dangerous a fight for Cotto in his fight back, esp after the beating he took. Cotto's comeback will be against either a bum like Lujan, or a decent guy w/no power like Collazo. Berto if nothing else is fast, and can punch, which makes him too dangerous for a comebacking Cotto. As for Berto-Clottey, as of right now I'd make Clott a slight favorite. Within a year I might favor Berto. Andre has to be the most slept on fighter on this forum. None ever said he was second coming of Ray Leonard or anything, but he's not a bad fighter at all. I'm also surprised Muzse hasnt posted in this thread yet, as he hates Berto.