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by David P. Greisman - He is not Manny Pacquiao. He is not Floyd Mayweather Jr. He couldn’t beat Victor Ortiz. He’s never faced Miguel Cotto, Antonio Margarito or Shane Mosley.
Andre Berto is not just maligned for who he isn’t and what he hasn’t done – he is also derided for what he is and what he does.
He fights on HBO and has been spotlighted as a future star and preeminent talent. He has appeared on the network for each of his last 10 fights over these past four years. In total, he has been on an HBO undercard or main event on a dozen nights. He has been paid millions of dollars for doing so.
He is all of this despite what he isn’t – a proven entity, a ticket seller, one of the best 147-pound fighters in the world.
Much of this is not his fault, and yet he is vilified, rooted against. He is a fighter who might just have more doubters than he has supporters.
They say he ain’t nothing, that he’s over-hyped, ripe to be exposed, a media creation.
They might be right.
This is his welterweight burden. He profits from the attention heaped upon him, the money spent marketing the latest protagonist in this pugilistic plotline. HBO has stars and champions and seeks those who will replace them, or at least challenge them, introducing characters into what is essentially episodic programming. [Click Here To Read More]
Andre Berto is not just maligned for who he isn’t and what he hasn’t done – he is also derided for what he is and what he does.
He fights on HBO and has been spotlighted as a future star and preeminent talent. He has appeared on the network for each of his last 10 fights over these past four years. In total, he has been on an HBO undercard or main event on a dozen nights. He has been paid millions of dollars for doing so.
He is all of this despite what he isn’t – a proven entity, a ticket seller, one of the best 147-pound fighters in the world.
Much of this is not his fault, and yet he is vilified, rooted against. He is a fighter who might just have more doubters than he has supporters.
They say he ain’t nothing, that he’s over-hyped, ripe to be exposed, a media creation.
They might be right.
This is his welterweight burden. He profits from the attention heaped upon him, the money spent marketing the latest protagonist in this pugilistic plotline. HBO has stars and champions and seeks those who will replace them, or at least challenge them, introducing characters into what is essentially episodic programming. [Click Here To Read More]
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