By Jake Donovan

DiBella Entertainment has won the purse offer for the mandatory WBC welterweight world title defense of champion Andre Berto versus mandatory challenger Luis Collazo.

The highest two bids submitted came from the promoters of both fighters. DiBella Entertainment, who has guided Andre Berto’s career since his pro debut, won the purse bid with a submission of $675,000. Don King Productions, under whom Collazo presently fights, offered the second highest bid at $427,000.

Both sides have 21 calendar days to sign contracts for the mandated fight. Should both proceed with the fight, he purse will be split 70 percent for the champion ($472,500) and 30 percent ($202,500) for the challenger. If Collazo rejects, he loses his mandatory ranking; Berto would be forced to vacate his title should he pass on the fight.

Berto (23-0, 19KO) won the vacant title with a seventh round stoppage of Miguel “Miki” Rodriguez this past June. His first defense came three months later, easily outpointing Steve Forbes. Both wins are among four straight HBO appearances.

On the non-televised portion of the same show that housed Berto’s win over Forbes, Collazo (29-3, 14KO) won his second straight with an 8th round stoppage of Russell Jordan. Despite impressive showings in his last two bouts, Collazo remains better known for the fights in which he’s come up short, dropping a lopsided decision to Shane Mosley last year and a much closer and more disputable points loss to Ricky Hatton nine months prior.