This fight between Andre Berto and Robert Guerrero was absolutely brutal. Each boxer gave it their all and by the 12th round each was so worn out and bruised neither could really see. Both of Berto’s eyes were swollen shut while Guerrero fought with one. In the Guerrero won with a unanimous decision from the judges. Read more after the jump.
Saturday marked Guerrero’s first million-dollar purse and his first HBO headlining bout.
On the night Guerrero fought by far the toughest opponent of his career in welterweight puncher Andre Berto, he earned something else that has long eluded him: Respect.
With his unanimous decision victory over Berto before 4,865 at the Citizens Business Bank Arena – all three judges scored it 116-110 –Guerrero proved that he’s one of the best at 147 and ready for even bigger challenges.
“If (the media) isn’t putting me in the top 10 pound for pound now, then they are just (not giving me credit),” said Guerrero, 29. “I told Andre I was going to beat him down. I had to keep my word. I had to fight him on the inside and work the body. We were on the inside and I was pushing him into position to land my punches (on the knockdowns). He didn’t hurt me at all; he caught me with a few shots. He’s a strong guy and punched hard but I have a great chin.”
Berto (28-2, 22 KOs) was known as the puncher entering the fight, but it was Guerrero who scored the knockdowns.
Guerrero (31-1-1, 18 KO) stunned Berto with an overhand leftand then followed up with a series of straight lefts while he illegally held Berto’s head with his right hand, dropping his foe in the first round.
He dropped him a second time in the second round after he hurt Berto with a right hook, overhand left combo, followed by lefts along the ropes.
Guerrero, from Gilroy, Calif., did an excellent job fighting on the inside. He smothered Berto’s shot and never allowed the power puncher to get full extension on his shots. Guerrero applied constant pressure, never letting up as he bullied Berto, 29, into all four corners of the ring. Berto fought with his back to the ropes for most of the fight and ripped off some punishing shots, mostly uppercuts. But it was Guerrero who dictated the terms of the bout and controlled the action.
