Shawn Porter vs. Andre Berto fight to be announced this Saturday

boxingnews24.com

By Eric Baldwin: After months of talk, former IBF welterweight champion Shawn Porter and Andre Berto will reportedly be announcing their April 22 fight this Saturday. Porter vs. Berto will be taking place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

It’s a fight that both guys need, as they haven’t been that active of late. Porter (26-2-1, 16 KOs) lost his last fight to WBA World welterweight champion Keith Thurman in June of last year. Berto, 33, hasn’t fought since stopping Victor Ortiz in April 2016. Berto (31-4, 24 KOs) will have been out of the ring for 1 year by the time he faces Porter on April 22.

“We going to give you the update tomorrow for sure, but I can let you know right now that we got some good stuff in the works and you guys will be happy that the deal is done. That’s all I’m saying for now,” said Porter to Fighthype.com.

Porter #5 WBC, #7 WBA, lost his IBF welterweight title three years ago to Kell Brook in 2014. Porter has won two out of his last three fights sine then in beating Adrien Broner and Erick Bone. However, in his last fight, Porter was beaten by Thurman by a 12 round unanimous decision. It was a lose fight, but Porter came up short. He fought the best fight he could, but Thurman just had a little too much speed, power and mobility for him.

Berto, #3 IBF, is ranked high with the International Boxing Federation at 147. He’s the position to fight for a world title against the winner of the Kell Brook vs. Errol Spence Jr. fight. However, if Porter beats Beto, then that could be a blow to his title hopes. Berto is still a big enough name to work his way to a title shot.

Berto is a popular enough fighter to even get a title shot regardless of what happens against Porter. Berto’s chances of getting a title shot will increase if Spence beats Brook, because they both share the same management

Porter, 29, might have too much youth and energy for Berto to deal with. Porter’s only career defeats have been close ones to Brook and Thurman. He was never beaten soundly by anyone.

Berto will have his hands full in trying to cope with the pressure and activity from Porter. Berto’s biggest weakness is his lack of an inside game. He’s not a very good inside fighter, although he did look good on the inside fighting Victor Ortiz last April. But in the past, Berto has struggled when pressured in close by the likes of Ortiz and Luis Collazo.