Andre Berto ready and willing to face Miguel Cotto on March 12th

Promoter Lou DiBella advised BoxingScene.com that WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto is ready to move up in weight to challenge Miguel Cotto for the WBA's 154-pound title on March 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Berto was under consideration to face Manny Pacquiao on May 7. The expected opponent, Shane Mosley, finalized a deal on Tuesday to face Pacquiao on the May date.

Cotto's promoter, Top Rank, is considering three opponents for his March return, which includes Vanes Martirosyan, Pawel Wolak and Ricardo Mayorga.

"Obviously when Mosley and Pacquiao finalized their deal, we lost two possible options at welterweight. Once you get past Mosley and Pacquiao, there are very few options at 147 and very few of these guys at 140 are willing to move up. I would make the fight with Cotto in a second. I would not overprice Berto for that fight. Meeting Cotto at 154 is not a dealbreaker. Cotto's promoter [Top Rank CEO] Bob Arum knows my number. We can easily get that deal done, but I don't think Arum wants to make that fight," DiBella said to BoxingScene.com.

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&id=34098

That is a pickem fight IMO. Speed and Power vs boxing talents and will.

Let's make this happen as a double header with Martinez and who ever his opponent may be at MSG.

I have Cotto tearing Berto up.

this is a fight that can stand on its own on hbo or any tv show..its also the best fight for cotto to make unless he wants to go to mexico to fight angulo which arum wont do after all hes looking down the line for cotto to fight other top rank folks and will not endanger cotto with angulo..
how dare dibella give commisioner arum a great choice in fights and agree to eliminate any resonable obsticles to prevent a berto-cotto fight..

dmar5143 wrote:this is a fight that can stand on its own on hbo or any tv show..its also the best fight for cotto to make unless he wants to go to mexico to fight angulo which arum wont do after all hes looking down the line for cotto to fight other top rank folks and will not endanger cotto with angulo..
how dare dibella give commisioner arum a great choice in fights and agree to eliminate any resonable obsticles to prevent a berto-cotto fight..

haha dmar's got beef with "commisioner Arum"
it's not like other promoters don't protect their assets though. Berto vs Cotto would be a good fight IMO. Cotto's got good skills, Berto is powerful and quite fast. it would be interesting to see where Berto really is with regards to the elite in the division. the landscape for him if a Cotto fight doesn't get made would appear rather deserted. what ever happened with the Turkish dude that was supposed to be his mandatory?

I doubt Arum even considers Berto

I think Mayorga gets the shot especially if it goes on PPV

Showtime should pick that up ASAP

The way Arum has been acting recently I wouldn't at all be shocked if he went with Mayorga

If Cotto has anything left, he'll win. If not, he'll lose. Berto is not the figther he thinks he is. He has all the ability in the world but his father stinks as a trainer. "Father Berto" is going to cost Andre his career.

Frank wrote:If Cotto has anything left, he'll win. If not, he'll lose. Berto is not the figther he thinks he is..

Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. I see this as a potentially really good fight if Cotto does have something left. I agree Berto isn't as good as he thinks he his and could get a real test here. Hope it happens, but with Arum you can't be too hopeful.

Frank wrote:If Cotto has anything left, he'll win. If not, he'll lose. Berto is not the figther he thinks he is. He has all the ability in the world but his father stinks as a trainer. "Father Berto" is going to cost Andre his career.

His father doesn't train him, Tony Morgan does.

hardcorebee24 wrote:

Frank wrote:If Cotto has anything left, he'll win. If not, he'll lose. Berto is not the figther he thinks he is. He has all the ability in the world but his father stinks as a trainer. "Father Berto" is going to cost Andre his career.

His father doesn't train him, Tony Morgan does.

yeah wtf?

dbudge wrote:

hardcorebee24 wrote:

Frank wrote:If Cotto has anything left, he'll win. If not, he'll lose. Berto is not the figther he thinks he is. He has all the ability in the world but his father stinks as a trainer. "Father Berto" is going to cost Andre his career.

His father doesn't train him, Tony Morgan does.

yeah wtf?

Thanks for the info. Tony Morgan is a lousy trainer. lol

gomez1012 wrote:I doubt Arum even considers Berto

I think Mayorga gets the shot especially if it goes on PPV

Showtime should pick that up ASAP

It is a pick em fight that any true boxing fan would love to see. I

noticed that Steward worked on getting Cotto hold his hands different (elbows not bowed out funny leaving a gap up the middle for the uppercut or a straight shot down the middle-2 shots that hurt him badly in his 2 losses). In addition, Berto while fast doesn't know how to use it. I think if enough tape is studied you could find alot of tendencies.

Cotto can beat everyone at 147 not named Mayweather or Pacquiao. He is an even fight with Berto. It is the logical, big money, and competitive fight both guys should take.

captainanddew wrote:

gomez1012 wrote:I doubt Arum even considers Berto

I think Mayorga gets the shot especially if it goes on PPV

Showtime should pick that up ASAP

It is a pick em fight that any true boxing fan would love to see. I

noticed that Steward worked on getting Cotto hold his hands different (elbows not bowed out funny leaving a gap up the middle for the uppercut or a straight shot down the middle-2 shots that hurt him badly in his 2 losses). In addition, Berto while fast doesn't know how to use it. I think if enough tape is studied you could find alot of tendencies.

Cotto can beat everyone at 147 not named Mayweather or Pacquiao. He is an even fight with Berto. It is the logical, big money, and competitive fight both guys should take.

+1 I really don't understand why HBO are pushing for this fight, it's perfect for both men.

Ali wrote:

captainanddew wrote:

gomez1012 wrote:I doubt Arum even considers Berto

I think Mayorga gets the shot especially if it goes on PPV

Showtime should pick that up ASAP

It is a pick em fight that any true boxing fan would love to see. I

noticed that Steward worked on getting Cotto hold his hands different (elbows not bowed out funny leaving a gap up the middle for the uppercut or a straight shot down the middle-2 shots that hurt him badly in his 2 losses). In addition, Berto while fast doesn't know how to use it. I think if enough tape is studied you could find alot of tendencies.

Cotto can beat everyone at 147 not named Mayweather or Pacquiao. He is an even fight with Berto. It is the logical, big money, and competitive fight both guys should take.

+1 I really don't understand why HBO are pushing for this fight, it's perfect for both men.

and perfect for HBO!!! Both guys are HBO guys. Cotto has had great and bad days on HBO. Many wins, including some big ones, and 2 tough losses. All the while he has faced good competition and his fights haven't been boring. Berto is the up and comer that HBO loves and wants to be the future.

If Berto wins, HBO finally has some validation for him.

If Cotto wins he is in line for another big fight for HBO while Berto rebuilds (depending on how the loss occurs).

If the fight is razor close then no matter the winner, a rematch would do big business for HBO.

only one downside to them fighting each other on HBO; because Steward will be in Cotto's corner we don't get to hear him comment on a fighter landing the crispier punches all night.

captainanddew wrote:only one downside to them fighting each other on HBO; because Steward will be in Cotto's corner we don't get to hear him comment on a fighter landing the crispier punches all night.

But then Roy will get the gig