By Allan Fox: Former IBF/WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto (28-3, 22 KO’s) will be going into surgery to repair a torn tendon in his right shoulder that he suffered in his 12th round TKO loss to Jesus Soto Karass last month in their fight in San Antonio, Texas.
Berto, 29, says he injured his shoulder in the 2nd round when a punch he threw was blocked by Soto Karass. Berto immediately felt sharp pain in his shoulder, and from that point on, he barely able to use his arm for anything. You could see that he was still using it, but not as much as he was earlier in the 1st round.
The tendon that will be repaired is near the rotator cuff in Berto’s shoulder, and that brings in to play the potential that Berto may have problems recovering the power in his shoulder. We saw Jeff Lacy suffer a torn rotator cuff injury to his shoulder in the past, and he arguably never gained his full strength back in his left shoulder after that.
Berto has had serious problems with his biceps. He’s suffered two bicep injuries, and now the shoulder problem. It could be that he needs to work on his flexibility, because he’s too tight, and he’s coming down with injuries on a fairly regular basis now.
Berto is still young at 29, but with the injuries happening in such a short period of time there’s a potential that he could lose a lot more time in the future if he keeps getting hurt like this.
Berto’s loss was his third in his last four fights, and his career is going downhill rapidly at this point. Even before he hurt his shoulder in the 2nd round, Soto Karass had him badly hurt in the 1st round.
Berto is going to have to fix his defense, work on his flexibility and stamina if he’s going to turn things around with his sinking career. It’s likely going to take Berto at least 6 months to come back from the surgery, and who knows how he’ll fight afterwards.
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