In
a physically demanding fight, fought mostly on the inside, champions
Robert Guerrero (31-1, 18 KOs) and Andre Berto (28-2, 22 KOs) battled
over 12 intense rounds with Guerrero winning by a unanimous decision at
the Citizens Business Bank Arena, Ontario, California. With the win,
Guerrero retained his interim WBC welterweight title.
Both
fighters came out jabbing in the opening stanza. Berto adopted the
defensive posture of Adrian Broner. He leaned back and fired his right
hand. Guerrero, a southpaw, worked his jab and left hand. Berto clubbed
Guerrero with a heavy right hand. The Broner defensive style was working
until the final minute of the round. Guerrero landed a straight left
down the pipe that hurt Berto badly. Another left hand floored Berto.
The former IBF champion got up and tried to hold on. Guerrero landed two
lefts and a right. As the round ended, Berto staggered back to his
corner.
In round two, Guerrero immediately landed another left
hand that hurt Berto. Guerrero clipped Berto with a short uppercut on
the inside. Berto slithered down the ropes to the canvas. He was up at
six, but very hurt. Guerrero landed a big uppercut against the ropes.
Berto countered with a right. He was staggering, but fighting back.
Berto’s right eye was swollen. He was having a very difficult time
seeing Guerrero’s straight left hand.
Berto tried to change the
rhythm of the fight in round three. His chopping right hand clipped
Guerrero. He landed a good right to the body. Berto was fighting back,
but so was Guerrero. The Gilroy native connected with a hard left of his
own. Guerrero was fighting like a street fighter. He had found a way to
work the body and head of Berto consistently.
Guerrero
continued with his onslaught of Berto’s body in round four. The
29-year-old Berto landed a vicious uppercut on the inside. Guerrero
again connected with a left to the head. Another right by Berto got the
attention of Guerrero. Most of the fight was being contested on the
inside. Each fighter was landing some heavy shots to the head and body.
Berto probably won that round. His ability to survive the early
knockdowns was admirable.
In round five, Berto landed a good
left hand. Guerrero went right back to the body of Berto. The fighters
wrestled in the middle of the ring. Berto landed another slashing
uppercut. Guerrero connected with a thudding shot to the body of the
former champion.
Berto’s eye continued to close. In round six,
Guerrero nailed the before mentioned eye with a left. Berto landed a
sharp right hand off the ropes. Guerrero countered with a right to the
body. Berto landed his own body shot. As Guerrero leaned back, Berto
connected with a hard right hand to the chin.
Guerrero landed a
big left hand on Berto’s chin a minute into round seven. Berto caught
Guerrero with a strong uppercut. The last minute was spent on the ropes.
Guerrero continued his street fighting ways. He pummeled Berto’s head
and body. Guerrero bulled Berto back to the ropes in round eight. The
Miami, Florida resident countered with a check hook. Guerrero shook it
off.
The fighters went right back to the ropes at the start of
round nine. Guerrero was smothering Berto and continuing to land on the
inside. Bero landed a powerful uppercut that made Guerrero stumble.
Guerrero landed his own left that hurt Berto.
It was reported
by the HBO ringside team that Guerrero couldn’t see out of his right
eye. Berto was struggling to see out of both eyes. Guerrero put his chin
on Berto’s chest and punched. Berto was still finding him with
uppercuts. Guerrero landed another stiff left at the bell ending round
10.
The street fight continued in round 11. Guerrero went back
to the chest of Berto. His bodywork continued. Berto connected with a
hard uppercut. Both fighters opened up on each other on the ropes. They
traded combinations to the head and body. Guerrero was still working a
little more than Berto.
The 12th and final round saw
more of the same. Guerrero pushed Berto back into the mythical phone
booth and unloaded. A Berto right to the throat of Guerrero hurt.
Guerrero landed another left and right to the head. Everyone in the
Citizens Business Arena was in their feet in the final minute. Guerrero
landed a slashing combination that knocked Berto back.
All three judges scored the bout in favor of Guerrero 116-110. (this writer also scored the fight 116-110 for Guerrero)
“I
had to work him on the inside. He has really fast hands,” said Guerrero
in the ring after the fight. “I’ve got a good chin so I was able to
take his punches.”
“The referee kept warning me for things I wasn’t doing,” Berto said. “I lost to a great fighter.”
The bout was part of HBO’S Championship Boxing Series.
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