By Dave Sholler
WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto has heard rumors of a Shane Mosley-Antonio Margarito bout. He has heard discussions of Paul Williams being the most feared boxer in the division. And he has listened to talk that Miguel Cotto is poised to come back better than ever.
The funny thing is that amidst all of the chatter, Berto hasn’t even batted an eye. While not meant to be disrespectful or arrogant, a humble Berto believes that the right bouts will come his way soon enough. In Berto’s mind, all of the extra talk is purely irrelevant.
“I think Margarito-Mosley would be good,” the 25-year-old said during a phone interview Friday. “Shane Mosley has been in negotiations for my next fight, but we have plenty of options. Luis Collazo is my mandatory. And there are some other bouts out there to consider.
“Whoever my team sets me up with, I’ll take it. “I am the new young gun in the division and at the same time, I am a world champion. It’s a title a lot of people want.”
Berto’s relaxed stance is admirable. After defeating Steve Forbes by unanimous decision in September, Berto is considered a steadily improving boxer. It’s a fact that is difficult to argue. Once criticized for a shaky defense, Berto has gotten better with each fight and has patched up holes in his game along the way. The Floridian credits his desire to learn as the key reason why he’s shown development.
“I have been trying to learn as much as I can,” Berto, a native of Winter Haven, FL, said. “People in my camp know what I can do. I work like an animal. I’m working on my defense and placement of punches. I’m working on my speed. I have been proving myself since HBO snatched me up and I’m just trying to keep improving.
“Every time I step in the ring, I want people to be excited.”
Judging by his versatility and wide array of talents, it’s hard not to get excited by Berto. However, Berto (23-0, 19 KOs) points out that he has kept a levelheaded approach throughout his career. While some have compared him to Floyd Mayweather Jr. and others, Berto is making sure he does not get engulfed by resemblances or hype. Simply put, he realizes that there is a long road ahead of him.
“To be compared to some of the greats, it’s just an honor,” Berto said. “It tells me that I’m doing something right. But it’s early in my career. There is so much more to come. I want to keep getting better and better.”
Although unsure when or where his next bout would take place, Berto did quell rumors that he and promoter Lou DiBella are considering a move to junior welterweight. Berto said that DiBella’s recent comments linking Berto to the 140-pound division were strictly financial based.
“We’ve never, ever talked about it,” Berto said of the move to junior welterweight. “He (DiBella) knew that I came in at 145 in my last fight. He was just saying that in case there was a huge, big money fight out there, we’d consider it. And we would consider it. But all the hype and excitement is in the 147-pound division. And right now, I’m in the mix at welterweight. That’s where I want to be.”
