By Rick Reeno
Undefeated welterweight prospect Andre Berto is having trouble with setting an opponent for his next fight, slated for a co-feature position on an HBO televised doubleheader on February 9. WBO welterweight champion Paul Williams defends in the headliner against Carlos Quintana.
Promoter Lou DiBella told BoxingScene.com that several credible names were approached for the fight, but none of them were willing to take it. Isaac Hlatshwayo (27-1, 9 KOs), one of the three original names in the running, is still a possibility. Dibella says Berto, who is ranked in the number two position by the IBF, would love to take a shot at the champion, Kermit Cintron.
"We don't have an set opponent. We might be looking at Isaac Hlatshwayo. We tried to get a few of these contender guys. We tried to get Steve Forbes, he turned it down. Alfonso Gomez didn't want the fight. We also tried to get Demetrius Hopkins, he didn't want the fight. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. didn't want the fight. Once you go below some of the higher ranked guys, there are not a whole lot of choices out there," DiBella said. "I'll tell you this, Berto would fight Kermit Cintron right now."
