By Jim Dower: World Boxing Council welterweight champion Andre Berto (26-0, 20 KO’s) could be facing either light welterweights Andriy Kotelnik or Marcos Maidana in the fall, according to Dan Rafael of ESPN. HBO wants to see Maidana fight Berto for some reason, but it’s somewhat odd that Berto is being continuously matched against light welterweights instead of fighters from his own welterweight weight class. If Berto ends up fighting Maidana or Kotelnik, this would be the third light welterweight that Berto has fought in the last five bouts dating back to 2008. At this point, there’s really no reason for Berto to continue to campaign as a welterweight. He might as well move down to light welterweight and continue as he’s been going fighting light welterweights.

It’s just a little off putting to see Berto face smaller guys over and over again rather than fighters from his own weight class. Right now, the WBC has ordered Berto to start negotiations with number #2 ranked WBC welterweight contender Selcuk Aydin (20-15 KO’s). Berto doesn’t want this fight, and would much rather fight the smaller Kotelnik. However, it would be nice to see Berto take on a welterweight contender like Mike Jones or Joshua Clottey instead. Those would be great fights, and those guys, being the same size as Berto, would have a realistic chance of knocking him out compared to the smaller Maidana and Kotelnik.

But the chances of Berto fighting Jones and Clottey are slim and none. It won’t happen. It’s probably going to be Maidana or Kotelnik, and if HBO has its way, it will be Maidana. That would still interesting fight, because Berto would be in against a slugger and would take a lot of punishment in earning a win. If Berto doesn’t fight better than he did against Luis Collazo, I can see Maidana knocking him out. Berto is not a good inside fighter, and Maidana is lethal on the inside.

Berto would likely fall back into his boring punch and grab technique that he’s been using off and on for the past years. Maidana isn’t someone that lets his opponents clinch him without making them pay. Berto might find himself taking a beating if he tries to hang all over Maidana all night long like he did with Collazo and Juan Urango in his dull wins over them.