Berto will be explosive early against Ortiz but then run out of gas

By Dan Ambrose: Former IBF/WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto (28-1, 22 KO’s) is working hard in training camp on his conditioning so that he doesn’t fade quite so badly as last time he fought Victor Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KO’s) last year in April, but Berto is likely to find out that his conditioning issues will resurface in their rematch next month on February 11th if the fight goes past the 5th round.

That’s Berto is basically, a five-round fighter. He didn’t used to be that way earlier in his career, but as he’s aged and the opposition has gotten better, Berto has become a fighter in the Jean Pascal mode where he’s explosive early but then fades after the fourth around.

That’s what happened last time Berto fought Ortiz. Berto looked sensational for six rounds in knocking Ortiz down twice but paying for it by getting knocked down twice himself. But after the 6th, Berto looked 100 years-old, as he had to spend long periods of time lying up against the ropes mostly just covering up and throwing rare punches. Berto is a little bit older now t 28, whereas Ortiz is still a young 24 and just hitting his prime of his career.

I think Berto has got to see this fight as a four rounder where he goes all out to try and a knockout because if Ortiz is still standing after the fourth round, then Berto is going to take a terrible beating and get outpointed again.

I don’t see him getting knocked out because Berto seems to be able to handle a lot of punishment but he may wished he got knocked out afterwards to save himself from taking so much punishment from Ortiz. Berto should be really dangerous for Ortiz for those first four, but after that Berto is going to be useless due to fatigue.

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