By Chris Robinson
Andre Berto's loss this past weekend to Victor Ortiz, while valiant in its ways, was a hard one to swallow for his trainer Tony Morgan. Having trained the Haitian-American star since he was just a teenager, Morgan has gotten to know Andre on the inside and out throughout their time together in Winter Haven, Florida and abroad.
So as Berto seemed out of sorts as he struggled to get into a rhythm against the onrushing Ortiz, all Morgan could do was sit idly from ringside and try to offer up some motivation and wise words in between rounds. It was a special kind of fight but when the dust had settled Ortiz came away with the WBC welterweight championship by scores of 115-110, 114-111 and 114-112.
Instead of trying to offer up any excuses for his fighter, Morgan simply gave Ortiz full respect.
"You know what? Berto just couldn't get going man," Morgan said. "You gotta take your hat off to Vic. He looked great and he fought his ass off. You gotta give credit where credit is due. Berto never got going. He still showed amazing heart but that definitely wasn't the fight we had worked for and planned for."
Anytime a fighter is dropped in the first round the dynamics of the fight changes completely and you could see Berto fighting much of the contest on pure heart and instinct. I was curious as to what exactly Morgan and Team Berto had been expecting from Ortiz prior to the fight's commencement.
"We knew Victor was going to come out strong. Our game plan was to box the first three rounds and then adjust and work with pressure or if the boxing was what was working, then stick to the boxing. Definitely start with the boxing and try and take Victor's will a little bit. I knew Vic was going to fight inside and we worked on a lot of that but Berto couldn't get it going," Morgan continued.
The sixth was a classic as Berto drilled Ortiz with a crushing right had in registering his second knockdown of the fight. An aggressive Berto appeared to smell blood but was subsequently floored himself near the stanza's end by a piercing left hand.
Morgan knows well of Andre's power and never envisioned Ortiz rising the way he did.
"After the first punch I didn't think Victor was getting up," he confessed. "After Berto caught Victor with that vicious overhand [right] I didn't think Victor was getting up. He bounced up and surprised me. Really surprised me."
Berto suffered the first loss of his career as his record ell to 27-1 with 21 knockouts. At 27 years of age he still has plenty of time on his side and Morgan insists that they won't be looking to rush anything.
"We'll take it day by day. I don't think it hurt him but it was a very, very tough fight. I think he showed amazing heart. We do what we do and we'll move on."