Has anyone had a softer run to a major title recently than Berto?

[El Gamo]

Not questioning his talent(I think there is a question mark about his chin but thats a separate matter), but who has this guy done? Cosme Rivera is tough but limited, the rest? At least let him fight a tough contender/more tough guys like Rivera. Very dissappointing.Needs to step it up asap.

[ICB]

Not questioning his talent(I think there is a question mark about his chin but thats a separate matter), but who has this guy done? Cosme Rivera is tough but limited, the rest? At least let him fight a tough contender/more tough guys like Rivera. Very dissappointing.Needs to step it up asap.

Theres plenty in history i can think of but not recently no or though people like Manfredo come to mind, but lets hope this has a postive effect on Berto remember the old saying El Gamo that when a fighter wins a title they automatically become 25 percent better fighter, but the problem is i don't think Berto has made any real improvments to be honest, he still neglects the body, and he still has defense issues amongst other things which i haven't seen him improve on since they were mentioned quite some time ago. He needs to fight someone like Collazo or the winner or Clottley vs Judah at least one of the top Welterweights who can test him and then we can see where he belongs in the Welterweight division.

By the way how you been El Gamo ?? i haven't spoke to you in quite sometime.

[Markusdarkus]

Bertos career has been very cleverly crafted but we have a guy in the UK called Carl Froch who is ranked no1 for the WBC 168lb title and that guy has fought more bums than Amir Khan and Andre Berto combined.

[Majesty]

Berto is getting the treatment you'd expect someone like Andre Ward to get. But it seems Ward is taking his time which is good, least he will be improved when he gets to main event status. Berto on the other hand is main event status at about 50 percent done. Never fought a top 30 yet and just won a world title that Mayweather put down. And he fought a bum for it, why didn't he fight someone like oh I dunno Mayweather's Mandatory?

[bcollins]

I think he is still a little green to be a beltholder - he has a ton of potential, and I hope being thrown into the top tier this soon doesn't come back to haunt him.

[Taeth]

He's not being thrown into the top tier... It was an easy fight for a belt, in a time when belts don't mean anything. How old was Cotto when he got his first belt? Who did he fight to get it? Cezar Bazan? My point is Berto is still a prospect, and holding a belt doesn't change that these days. He is a very good fighter with tons of upside, just give him time.

[HattonTheHammer]

I cant think of too many top class fighters who 22 fights in had already fought the cream of the division??

May it just be that berto is making something quite competitive look ridiculously easy??

[JT Rock]

Berto is getting the treatment you'd expect someone like Andre Ward to get. But it seems Ward is taking his time which is good, least he will be improved when he gets to main event status. Berto on the other hand is main event status at about 50 percent done. Never fought a top 30 yet and just won a world title that Mayweather put down. And he fought a bum for it, why didn't he fight someone like oh I dunno Mayweather's Mandatory?

Because he would have had to fight himself Berto was Mayweathers WBC mandatory and Rodriguez was the #2 ranked WBC Welter

[Markusdarkus]

I cant think of too many top class fighters who 22 fights in had already fought the cream of the division??

May it just be that berto is making something quite competitive look ridiculously easy??

What would you class as the cream of 147lbs? David Estrada, Trabant, Rodriquez..............

Quintana, Judah or Clottey would be a good B level test for Berto then he should fight the real cream like Mosley, Margarito, Cotto, Cintron, Williams.

[Lance Uppercut]

the wbc title is garbage

[Dark Lord Al]

Not questioning his talent(I think there is a question mark about his chin but thats a separate matter), but who has this guy done? Cosme Rivera is tough but limited, the rest? At least let him fight a tough contender/more tough guys like Rivera. Very dissappointing.Needs to step it up asap.

ANSWER IS YES = GAVIN REES

[Tysonbruno]

Not questioning his talent(I think there is a question mark about his chin but thats a separate matter), but who has this guy done? Cosme Rivera is tough but limited, the rest? At least let him fight a tough contender/more tough guys like Rivera. Very dissappointing.Needs to step it up asap.

ANSWER IS YES = GAVIN REES

Agree with Al here and Berto has time to step up and make defences

[match]

Fernando Vargas went through absolutely no one to become the youngest junior middleweight champion.

[bcollins]

He's not being thrown into the top tier... It was an easy fight for a belt, in a time when belts don't mean anything. How old was Cotto when he got his first belt? Who did he fight to get it? Cezar Bazan? My point is Berto is still a prospect, and holding a belt doesn't change that these days. He is a very good fighter with tons of upside, just give him time.

Yet - but with a belt, you might as well paint a target on his back. Now, instead of developing steadily over seven or eight fights, he'll have to do it in two or three. He's gaining a name quickly, and I bet we'll see him in with someone top tier (and I don't restrict that term to the best three fighters in the division - I would include the B-level fighters there as well)
within a couple of fights.

[match]

He's not being thrown into the top tier... It was an easy fight for a belt, in a time when belts don't mean anything. How old was Cotto when he got his first belt? Who did he fight to get it? Cezar Bazan? My point is Berto is still a prospect, and holding a belt doesn't change that these days. He is a very good fighter with tons of upside, just give him time.

Yet - but with a belt, you might as well paint a target on his back. Now, instead of developing steadily over seven or eight fights, he'll have to do it in two or three. He's gaining a name quickly, and I bet we'll see him in with someone top tier (and I don't restrict that term to the best three fighters in the division - I would include the B-level fighters there as well)
within a couple of fights.

But you don't need 40+ fights like Ricky Hatton before you step up to world class competition. Berto is as ready as he'll ever be, and if he loses to one of those top guys two fights from now, he would have lost to them 10 fights from now as well. He had an extensive amateur background and what people tend to forget is that there's only so many tune ups that you can take that will allow you to improve. The only way to truly reach that next level is to fight guys at that next level.