By Michael Marley

MASHANTUCKET, Connecticut - Emanuel Steward wasn't just raving about the ferocity displayed by "Vicious" Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto on the HBO airwaves Saturday night.

The Hall Of Fame trainer and HBO commentater was still glowing hours after the marvelous main event at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods after Ortiz earned a unanimous decision and the WBC welterweight crown by handing the outgunned Berto his first pro defeat.

I was thinking that Steward, who molded Thomas "Hitman" Hearns and so many other champs at Detroit's fabled Kronk Gym, must have been having early round flashbacks to the three rounds of savagery of April 15, 1985--exactly 26 years and and one day before--when Marvelous Marvin Hagler stopped Hearns in an epic battle at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

But Steward did not reference that shorter, even more ferocious battle.

"That fight tonight was a great fight," the 66 year old Steward said as he relaxed in the La Strada Italian Restaurant after the card had ended.

"Oh, my God, it was a great fight we just saw. I was so impressed by Victor Ortiz showing all that heart, fighting his way through bomb after bomb from Berto. But Berto showed plenty of heart as well."

Like most of the about 2,000 at the venue, Steward was clamoring for a rematch between the heavily favored Berto and the much-maligned Ortiz.

I highly doubt we see any quick rematch as Berto went immediately to a hospital for hand and head injuries. Berto should rest and recover. Ortiz needs to rest, to recover and to celebrate. Maybe they never match up again. But they delivered big-time on Saturday night.

You don't hear the venerable Steward saying "Oh, my God" about too many fights. When a jaded veteran like the Kronk's Goldfather is wowed, we should all be wowed.