Why We Love Andre Berto
By Richard Diaz
Love of Sports Correspondent
There’s a nasty rumor being circulated by people who don’t know any better.
Suffice to say, it involves boxing and a lack of talent when compared to UFC. Beyond that, it often includes a totally false claim that boxing’s going to die once Oscar De La Hoya retires, because with him will go the only big name fighter in the industry.
All you can really do with that is laugh.
Truth be told, the entire MMA world revolves around a media-hyped Kimbo Slice. Outside of Slice, you’ve got “Rampage” Jackson, who lost in a snooze-fest a couple weeks ago to some guy named Forrest Griffin.
The debate between boxing and UFC is best left untouched, mostly because it’s hard to see MMA as anything more than a pop culture phenomenon portraying itself as a sport.
Now, with regards to that vicious little rumor, all I really need to say to you is “Andre Berto.”
However, unless you’re a hardcore boxing fan, his name won’t be very familiar.
At 24 years old, this kid’s yet to battle a big-time competitor. Still, he became the WBC welterweight champion a few weeks back, and did so at the expense of Miguel Rodriguez, whom he defeated by technical knockout in the seventh round.
Berto’s everything you’d want in a professional fighter. His speed is deceptively quick, but he also packs a powerful punch. On top of that, he’s an intelligent boxer who waits for the opportune moment to strike. Best of all, he’s got a flamboyant flare that’s entertaining, but not over the top, a la Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
As a side note, he’s a two-time National Golden Gloves champion, a two-time National PAL champion, a three-time U.S. amateur championship medalist and also laid claim to 22 state titles in Florida.
Simply put, Berto’s one of several fighters you should start paying attention to before he becomes huge. Don’t listen to the naïve comments about boxing being on its deathbed, because it’s talent like this who has the potential to become a legend of tomorrow.
So, here’s some Bandwagon Love for Andre Berto, who’s definitely on the verge of doing some big things in the world of boxing.
Comments
Eric Durkin on 07/21 at 01:59 PM
Diaz, You’re just trying to get me fired up, aren’t you? Alrght, the gloves are coming off. Here’s what you MUST understand. just about any pro MMA fighter, and I’m talking about the legit guys, not Chucky down the street who says he’s a pro then fights in bars only. Real MMA fighters, if they so chose, could be a good pro boxer without a year of training. Now I’m not saying a boxer couldn’t go the other way, it’s been done, Marcus Davis had a great pro boxing career before making the switch. But it would take a lot longer than a year to be a decent pro because there are so many disiplines involved in the learning curve. To be a good Pro MMA fighter you need Boxing, Ji Jitsu, Wrestling. The learning curve is much higher.
When Din Thomas, an ok pro MMAer called out Floyd Mayweather for some stupid comments Mayweather made about MMA I found myself believing that he truly could hang with him. It’s not just that I’m a total MMA rube, I am, but in an mma match Mayweather would be destroyed, without the luxury of being able to tie up everytime you start to tire out he’d be done in the middle of the second round.
Now bring up laying on the mat. I’m not sure what MMA fights you’ve seen but for the most part two guys laying on the mat doesn’t happen. If someone is just laying on the mat not doing anything the fight gets stood back up.
as for Rampage and Forrest. I don’t get your belief that this was a snooze fest. Those two stood and traded huge punches for 4 rounds (the second round was garbage outside of the leg kick that almost ended the fight). And to cut Griffin down as is BS. Griffin won the first season of the Ultimate fighter in what many believe to be one of the best MMA fights ever. If you don’t believe me just watch him vs stephan bonner in the season 1 finale. He beat Mauricio Hua who many believed was the best fighter in the world at that time.
I know you’re a boxing purest and you’ll never switch over to the winning team but c’mon, a pop fad pretending to be a sport? the UFC is something like a 100 million dollar business. Not to mention other organizations that are getting bigger and bigger also. MMA fighters go through the same sanctioning and testing boxers do. I’ve said it before, MMA will never be what boxing WAS, but for now MMA has taken the reigns as top combat sport. And yes, I saw your comment on WWE, you gotta be kidding me, right? Pro wrestling is a sport like checkers is a thinking mans game
Richard on 07/21 at 02:07 PM
LOL. I know WWE isn’t a “Combat Sport,” but at the same time, those guys go at it two-to-three times a week, and scripted as it might be, that’s still rough.
Now, back to the topic at hand. I’ll admit I go out of my way to mock MMA, but in all seriousness, I’m not sure you can just flat-out say MMA is currently bigger than boxing.
And for the record, I actually agree with you on the fact that an MMA guy could switch to boxing quicker than the other way around.
Eric Durkin on 07/21 at 02:53 PM
Let me go ahead and apologize for the scatterbrainedness of that previous post from me. I was writing it at work so I was doing so and making sure I wouldn’t get fired at the same time. I think you understood what i was going for.
I do agree in the physical grind wrestlers put their body through, it simply cannot be denied. That still doesn’t make it a sport.
I’m not sure how MMA isn’t bigger than boxing? Truth be told I couldn’t name 10 boxers who weren’t retired right now and I watch ESPN and other sports stations religiously. When the only coverage boxing gets is when Mayweather retires or a boxer nearly dies from his brain swelling up I’d say that’s a sport on the decline. I respect the hell out of boxing and I’ll watch it, but boxing just isn’t what it used to be.
Richard on 07/21 at 03:18 PM
That’s the beauty of our back-and-forth. When it comes down to a bottom line, we’re just two enthusiasts of different sports. I’d have the same trouble naming ten MMA’ers.
As for wrestling, I’d say it’s “Combat Entertainment,” but that’s about it. I wouldn’t put those guys in the same arena as either of the groups we’re discussing.
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