Current WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto is wrapping up his training camp against Victor Ortiz in a highly anticipated match up between two young and exciting fighters. Berto, who will be making his sixth title defense is looking to make a statement this Saturday April 16 at the MGM Grand Theater at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Connecticut. A win for either fighter will catapult them into the upper echelon of boxing’s hottest division with a potential match up further down the road with Timothy Bradley or Amir Khan.
Berto (27-0, 21 KOs), a 2004 Haitian Olympian fighting out of Winter Haven, Florida, captured the vacant WBC Welterweight World Title in 2008 by way of a seventh round technical knockout of Miguel Angel “Miki” Rodriguez. The lightning-quick boxer has made five successful title defenses against World Champions Steve “2 Pound” Forbes (UD12), Luis Collazo (UD12), Juan “Iron Twin” Urango (UD12), and Carlos “El Indio” Quintana (TKO8), as well as veteran Freddy “Riel” Hernandez (TKO1) last November.
Below are notes from Berto’s training camp in Winter Haven, Florida and his comments:
Training Camp
“This training camp has to be one of my best thus far, simply because I have been staying in shape during my off time with my strength-and-conditioning coach, Cleveland Berto. So, when training camp came around, I got in rhythm within the second week. As the weeks go on, I’m feeling stronger, faster and more conditioned. I am ready to get in the ring.”
Different Preparation for Ortiz
“I always work hard in training camp. He’s a southpaw with power, so we have to prepare and tweak a couple of things to get ready for the fight.”
Typical Berto Training Day
“I work harder and harder as fight night gets closer. We do two-a-days, swim three times a week, run and go to the boxing gym every day.”
Gameplan
“I need to do what I’ve been doing: stay sharp, smart and, of course, be the last man standing.”
Fighting at Foxwoods
“It feels good to be back on the East Coast, closer to where it all started for me. It’s a new venue so this gives two great fighters the opportunity to put it on the map because this fight will be a good one. People will remember who and where it was fought.”
