Two former welterweight world champions clash this Saturday night (April 22, 2017) at the top of the Showtime Boxing card coming to us from Brooklyn’s Barclays Center as Shawn Porter (26-2-1) squares off against Andre Berto (31-4) over 12 rounds. Berto is 33 years old at this point, and he is looking to make another run at the top. He is best remembered for his September of 2015 loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr., but Berto was the WBC world welterweight champion from June of 2008 until April of 2011.
In his last outing, Berto come out focused and nocked out rival Victor Ortiz to avenge an April of 2011 loss that cost him his WBC world title. Prior to his loss to Ortiz, Berto had made five successful title defenses of the WBC belt. Berto comes from a fighting family, and he has spent some of his time away from the ring doing charity work in his native Haiti. Many people question whether Berto still has the fire in him since earning the major payday against Mayweather, but his fourth-round stoppage of Ortiz would hint he still has something left in the tank.
Porter has been considered one of the elite of the division for the past several years, but he has gone 2-2 over his last four fights. Losses to Kell Brook and Keith Thurman hint that Porter may have found his ceiling against taller, lankier fighters who are highly technical. Fortunately for Porter, that does not describe Berto, who is stocky and rugged and is not going to be hard for Porter to find. To his detriment, Porter is fighting for just the second time in 20 months, and the inactivity is a question mark. At 29 years old, he is four years younger than Berto and still entering his prime.
The winner of the matchup is set to get a shot at WBC and WBA champion Keith Thurman, whose 28-0 record includes a win over Porter in a huge “Fight of the Year” candidate in June of 2016, Suffice it to say, the thought of a rematch with Thurman is a big motivator for Porter in this one.
The WBC world super welterweight champion Jermell Charlo (28-0) will also make his latest title defense against unheralded Charles Hatley (26-1-1). The undefeated Charlo is making the first defense of the title he won in May of 2016. It will have been 11 months since Charlo last stepped in the ring, but Hatley has been inactive even longer, last fighting in November of 2105 when he traveled to Australia and defeated veteran Anthony Mundine.
The support bouts also see the vacant WBO world female bantamweight belt on the line between Amanda Serrano (31-1-1) and veteran Dahiana Santana (35-8).
Barclays Center – Brooklyn, New York – Showtime
Welterweight – 12 rounds
Andre Berto +425
Shawn Porter -550
Super Welterweight – 12 rounds
Charles Hatley +650
Jermell Charlo -1175
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