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Unbeaten Andre Berto continues his run as WBC welterweight champion tonight at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida when defends his crown against two-time IBF light welter champion Juan Urango.
This is the 3rd defence of the title for the 25 year old American. After distance defences against Steve Forbes and Luis Collazo, Berto now meets a man better known as a rugged 140 pounder in Urango.
Berto has 19 KO’s in 25 wins. He has fast hands, but on the negative side he did seem to tire in his 12 round win over Collazo.
In Urango, he meets a man who will be in his face all night. Although Urango is the naturally smaller man, Berto will have to be careful with Urango’s body punching, which could again slow the champion down.
British fans, of course, will know Urango from his 12 round points defeat against Ricky Hatton back in January, 2007.
If we use that fight as a marker, it was interesting to note that Hatton chose to box carefully when he realised he wasn’t going to stop his opponent. In fact, that fight showed Hatton at his most cagey, which says a lot for the danger that Urango threatens.
Berto is by far the more naturally talented of the two fighters, but that sometimes doesn’t win fights. It’s also easy to dismiss Urango’s chances due to the fact he’s stepping up in weight.
Certainly, Urango will have to be aggressive to have any sort of chance against Berto. He will also have to taste leather to get close and is likely to drop the early rounds.
However, if Urango can stick in there and keep landing downstairs, it will be interesting to see what happens in the second half of the fight.
I think Berto can come through the fight and I think in the end he will have his hand raised, but I don’t think it will be as easy as the bookmakers are suggesting.
Urango, I think, will be champion another day.
