Andre Berto says Pacquiao-Margarito is 'Ridiculous'
WBC champ vents his spleen to Danny Flexen
CURIOSITY: Berto says fans may enjoy seeing Margarito get beat up
WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto has blasted the November 13 fight between Manny Pacquiao and Andre Berto and not just because promoters Top Rank have snubbed him as an opponent for the Filipino. Yes, Bob Arum’s team keeping the November event “in house” has riled the Haitian-American but Berto also has a moral objection – regarding Margarito’s part in the handwraps scandal last year – and added that the fight was effectively a mismatch.
“It’s a ridiculous situation,” he raged. “Antonio Margarito has just come back from a suspension for something that many people felt he should have gone to jail for, a real terrible thing he was suspended for. And it just seems like he’s been rewarded for that terrible thing by his promoter with a huge payday. It’s a real sad situation.
“I don’t think it’s a fight anybody wants to see. People just aren’t fond of Margarito anymore, because they know that for his whole career the guy was probably a cheater. Pacquiao may be smaller but everyone knows he’s very consistent. It’s interesting maybe in terms of seeing a big guy get beaten up.”
Top Rank failed to even approach Berto as a possible opponent for Pacquiao on the November date, with only the promoter’s fighters, Miguel Cotto and Margarito, considered for the role.
This represented the latest in a long list of big fights that have eluded unbeaten Andre’s grasp. After being forced to pull out of a defining fight with Shane Mosley in January after his homeland was devastated by an earthquake, Berto saw the possibility of the fight being rearranged for this Autumn go up in smoke when “Sugar” Shane signed to face Sergio Mora instead. Now talks with WBA light-middleweight king Cotto also look like coming to nought as the Puerto Rican may instead take on Vanes Martirosyan, Pacquiao’s gym-mate and yet another Top Rank boxer. All this has left the welterweight looking down for future challenges.
“If the Cotto talks don’t work out there’s plenty of guys at 140 I can have a catchweight fight with,” Berto explained. “Amir Khan, Tim Bradley, Devon Alexander, they’re all making some noise.
“I’ve come in at 145 for some of my fights at 147 so I could maybe get down a litte more.”
Coz you should have not backed out on Mosley fight idiot!
0 | 30/07/2010 05:48:08SOURGRAPEING
Andre Beto sounds sourgrapeing to me. He wants that big PAYDAY himself. Andre, until you can muster enough draws on your own, don't expect to land big purse fights.
0 | 30/07/2010 09:37:41I think the real reason why the fight between mosley and berto did not push through is because the fight is not selling well that time. That maybe also the reason why mosley chose not to fight him this time. Other fighters may have known this that is why they are avoiding him also..
0 | 30/07/2010 16:20:05His home was hit by an earthquake u mug some of his family died would u have still fought, fact remains that bob arum is freezing out alot of guys so think before u talk
0 | 30/07/2010 20:19:56Berto is right!
Couldnt agree with Andre Berto more on this. Margarito, coming off a ban for the most vile type of cheating in boxing, with a 10 round win over an unproven fighter, somehow gets a shot at the #1 P4P fighter in the world. Baffling enough, not considering the hammering he took at the fists of Shane Mosley before said ban. Personally I think Berto deserves a shot a lot more than Margarito, and would give a far better account of himself than the mexican would.
0 | 30/07/2010 23:00:56Margarito-Pac Man
Dreadful fight. Not only a technical mismatch but Margarito shouldn't be in the ring after the hand wrap scandal. Bob Arum is not doing what is best for boxing by promoting this shambles. He is doing what is best for Bob Arum. Nothing more. If a Mayweather fight is not on the cards, Pac Man should be fighting the likes of Berto, Tim Bradley or Paul Williams.
0 | 03/08/2010 12:16:25