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HBO Boxing After Dark Recap

January 17, 2009

Beau Rivage Resort & Casino-Biloxi, Mississippi

WBC Welterweight (147 pounds) 12-Round Championship Match:

Andre Berto (23-0, 19 KO's, 146 pounds) (c) vs. Luis Collazo (29-3, 14 KO's, 146 pounds)

Berto won this title when it was vacant via technical knockout at 2:13 of round 7 over Miki Rodriguez on June 21, 2008 at the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee. The Winterhaven, Florida resident was the first boxer to ever knock out Rodriguez. The original recap of that match can be found here: http://www.number1contender.net/the-latest/2008/9/28/recap-of-andre-bertos-title-win.html Berto is making his second defense of this title. This title was previously held by Floyd Mayweather, Jr. who vacated the belt to "retire".

Berto is the son of Dieuseul Berto, who was a pro-wrestler in the Florida territory in the 1980's and according to Sherdog did 3 MMA matches, all losses. (However, Sherdog has Dieuseul's name spelled wrong.) Dieuseul was Andre's original boxing trainer. Therefore, HBO wants to portray Dieuseul as a powerful wrecking machine. To do this they are showing footage of worked pro-wrestling matches from Florida and selling them to the viewers as shoot MMA contests. The accompanying video showed Dieuseul finishing his opponent in full pro-wrestling gear with elbow pads using what appeared to be an Anaconda Vice. This is a hilarious, and proves kayfabe is not dead.This is a must watch for everyone who has watched pro-wrestling or MMA and would like to see HBO try to work the "ignorant" boxing audience.

Berto's last match was a 12-round unanimous decision over the durable Steve Forbes on September 27, 2008 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. Berto showed tremendous conditioning in the match.The champion'spunch output increased in the later rounds. When the final bell sounded it looked like Berto could easily box 12 more rounds against Forbes. The original recap of that match can be found here: http://www.number1contender.net/the-latest/2009/1/16/recap-of-andre-berto-vs-steve-forbes.html

Berto is The Ring magazine's number 9 contender to their vacant championship at 147 pounds.

Collazo began boxing at 12-years-old and had a solid amateur boxing career. His amateur boxing career peaked when he won the New York Golden Gloves Championships at 147 pounds.

Collazo is the mandatory challenger for this belt, but considered the best boxer Berto has faced. Besides for a loss early in his career, Collazo has only lost to elite boxers. Ricky Hatton defeated Collazo in a narrow and controversial unanimous decision on May 13, 2006 at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston Massachusetts. (After that match, Hatton decided to return to 140 pounds.) Collazo's other recent loss came via wide unanimous decision to Shane Mosley on February 10, 2007 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. However, in round 3 the southpaw tore 3 ligaments and fractured the thumb on is left hand. Mosley was struggling in the opening rounds with Collazo's counter-punching, but when Collazo became a one-handed boxer the match turned into a blowout for Mosley.

Collazo's last match was a technical knockout victory at 2:28 of round 8 in a scheduled 8-rounder against Russell Jordan on the untelevised undercard of the same event that featured Berto vs. Forbes.

Collazo is The Ring's number 8 contender at 147 pounds.

At 25-years-old, Berto is 2 years younger then the 27-year-old Collazo. Collazo has the height advantage standing 5' 9" tall, while Berto stands 5' 8.5" tall. Both boxer have a 22" arm length measured from the armpit to the end of the fist. Berto will be the heavier boxer in the ring having unofficially rehydrated to 160 pounds approaching match time. Collazo has only rehydrated to 155 pounds unofficially, approaching match time. The champion will employ the orthodox stance and the challenger will employ the southpaw stance.

The unified rules of boxing are in effect for this match. The judges keeping official score of this match from ringside are from North Carolina, Mississippi and Oklahoma. The referee is Keith Hughes. Harold Lederman will be HBO's unofficial scorekeeper for this event.

When the 2 boxers come together in the center of the ring, despite what the official measurements say, Collazo appears much larger then Berto. Round 1 is very good. Collazo hit Berto with a straight left hand with about 2 minutes to go in round 1, that had the champion holding the challenger to recover for the next minute. Then with 1 minute to go in the round, Berto came back with a flurry against the ropes that had Collazo hurt and holding on for the next 30 seconds. Collazo takes round 1, 10-9. This match was predicted to go the distance. However, based on round 1, that appears unlikely. Something appears to have gone wrong with the time keeping, because the break between rounds 1 and 2 was much longer then 1 minute. Lederman scores round 1 for Collazo, 10-9. Berto wins a very close round 2, 10-9. However, Berto is getting himself in trouble by backing straight up at times to dodge Collazo punches. This is allowing Collazo to follow up with straight left hands that have landed solidly on the champion. That is how Collazo hurt Berto in round 1 and Berto got hit solidly by making that same mistake in round 2. Berto wins round 2 on Lederman's scorecard, 10-9. With a little over 2:21 to go in round 3, Berto receives a severe warning from the referee for holding. The next infraction may cost him a point. All of round 3 was contested on the inside, and when the match has been contested on the inside Berto is getting dominated. Collazo win round 3 big, 10-9. Berto looks in terrible shape. The champion is known for having amazing conditioning. However, Collazo has worked over Berto's body in the first 3 rounds and Berto already looks gassed. Collazo leads on my scorecard after 3 rounds, 29-28. Lederman scores round 3 for Collazo, 10-9 and has the challenger ahead in the match after 3 rounds, 29-28. Through 3 rounds, Collazo has landed 56 of the 168 total punches he has thrown, for a 33% total connect percentage. Berto has landed 51 of the 136 total punches he has thrown, for a 38% total connect percentage. However, it appears that the champion has been far more ineffective.

With 46 seconds to go in round 4, the referee halts the action to take a point from Berto for holding. That was a pretty weak call. Berto has been holding. However, this is very early in the match and a lot worse has occurred in championship matches without a point being taken. The clock operator for this match is terrible and did not acknowledge that the referee called timeout. Therefore, there is only 36 seconds to go in round 4 when the action is resumed. With the point deduction, Collazo wins round 4, 10-8. On replay, it appears that both boxers were holding when the referee decided to take a point from Berto. Lederman scores round 4 for Collazo, 10-8. With 2:47 to go in round 5, a right hand from Berto knocks out Collazo's mouthpiece. The referee calls timeout to let the challenger get his mouthpiece back in place. After a brief pause the action is resumed. Round 5 is contested on the outside where Berto's huge hand speed advantage allows him to win the round, 10-9. To open round 6, Berto has a cut above his right eye. The cut was caused by an accidental clash of heads at the end of round 5. Berto takes round 5 on the Lederman scorecard, 10-9. Berto wins a close round 6, 10-9. After 6 rounds, Collazo leads on my scorecard, 57-56. My scorecard would have the match even, except for the point Berto was deducted for holding in round 4. Berto was holding a dangerous amount in round 6. If Berto continues to box this style of match, at this point the referee is going to be obligated to take another point having already established his standard for point deductions. Lederman scores round 6 for Collazo, 10-9, and has the challenger ahead in the match after 6 rounds, 58-55.

With a little over 1:30 to go in round 7, the left eye of Berto is beginning to show significant swelling. With over 30 seconds to go in round 7, a winded Collazo has been cut over the left eye.The cut was caused by a Berto left jab and it is bad. Collazo is cut on his left eyelid and the blood is dripping directly into his eye. Berto easily wins round 7 on my scorecard, 10-9. Collazo took round the latter half of round 7 off to recover. The challenger had his hands down completely at his sides trying to catch his breath. Collazo knew he would either catch Berto coming in for a knockdown, or would concede the round. Somehow, Lederman scored round 7 for Collazo, 10-9. Berto takes round 8 in dominating fashion, 10-9. The champion's superior conditioning appears to be taking over this match. After round 8, the cut above Collazo's left eye is getting very wide. It may cause the match to be stopped prematurely at some point. Lederman scores round 8 for Berto, 10-9. Round 9 is contested on the inside. Therefore it is the best round in a while for Collazo, and he wins round 9 easily, 10-9. After 9 rounds, the match is even on my scorecard, 85-85. Lederman scores round 9 for Collazo, 10-9, and has the challenger ahead big on his scorecard after 9 rounds, 87-83.

An exhausted Berto gets pushed down onto his back with 23 seconds to go in round 10. The referee correctly rules it a slip. Then pulls the fatigued Berto off the canvas and the action is resumed with 16 seconds to go in the round. Collazo wins round 10, 10-9. Collazo's apparent size advantage is taking its toll on the champion. Through 10 rounds, Berto has landed 203 of the 535 total punches he has thrown, for a 38% total connect percentage. Through 10 rounds, Collazo has landed 179 of the 651 total punches he has thrown, for a 27% total connect percentage. Lederman scores round 10 for Collazo, 10-9. The average number of power punches thrown in a round for a 147-pound boxer is 34. In round 10, Collazo threw 106 power punches. In round 10, Collazo said the CompuBox record for most punches thrown and landed on Berto in a round. Very close round 11, and Berto barely takes it on my scorecard, 10-9. Berto takes round 11 on Lederman's scorecard, 10-9. Whichever boxer wins round 12 will win the match on my scorecard. A hurt Collazo goes charging in on Berto and falls down with 38 seconds to go in round 12. It is correctly ruled a slip. However, it cost Berto some valuable time to score the knockout he may need, or rack up points in a round that may still be in doubt in some judges' minds in what could be a close match. The action is resumed with 33 seconds to go in the final round. A plethora of Berto power punches earns him round 12 on my scorecard, 10-9, and with that he takes the match, 114-113. Berto takes round 12 on the Lederman scorecard, 10-9, but Collazo takes the match, 115-112. This was a very good match.

This is a very difficult match to score and the judging panel for this match is very inexperienced. The point deduction in round 4 may play a huge factor in this decision. It is taking a long time to add up the scorecards, which usually means there is a problem. The official decision courtesy of "Gentleman" Joe Antonacci is that the judges have scored this match: 116-111, 114-113, 114-113 all for the winner by unanimous decision, still undefeated and still the WBC Welterweight Champion of the World, Andre Berto. That was one of the scariest scorecard readings in a long time, but moves this match into the great category. The 116-111 scorecard seemed to indicate a win by Collazo. Due to the point deduction for holding, it seemed much more likely that Collazo would have won 8 rounds then Berto won 9, because it seems unfathomable that Berto could have won 9 rounds. That would have meant that the point deduction would changed the match from a majority draw to a win for Collazo. However, the point deduction proved to be a non-factor and the judges got the correct decision in the end. The win moves Berto to 24-0 with 19 of those wins coming by way of knockout.

The final punchstat numbers have Berto landing 266 of the 682 total punches he threw, for a 39% total connect percentage. Berto landed 203 of the 415 power punches he threw, for an astounding 49% power connect percentage. Collazo landed 222 of the 812 total punches he threw, for a 27% total connect percentage. The vanquished challenger landed 194 of the 602 power punches he threw, for a 32% power connect percentage.

Berto said in his post match interview that he knew he had to win the last round to win the match. The champion said he would love to give Collazo a rematch. HBO would probably love the idea of that rematch. Berto's management would probably not love the idea of a rematch.

Collazo said in his post match interview that he was somewhat gassed at the end of the match. He, of course, wants a rematch.

This was a great performance by Berto. He showed numerous flaws. However, he underwent the first serious test of his professional career and showed a ton of character to pass with flying colors. Berto is still young and has a lot to learn. He probably would be best off boxing at 140 pounds, but until he loses this title there is no reason for him to make the switch. His boxing on the inside was bad at times. Berto got himself in trouble backing straight up which allowed for him to be easily punched. Additionally, he allowed himself to be taken out of his game plan and get caught boxing his opponent's match. Berto was very effective boxing on the outside using his tremendous speed and leading with his jab. When he abandoned that strategy, the match went badly for him. Additionally, Berto has superb conditioning that will serve him against the top level opponents in this weight class. It is unlikely Berto's people will allow an immediate rematch with Collazo. There was talk of matching Berto with Mosley or Zab Judah next. After this performance it is clear that a match up with Mosley would be a bad idea at this time. A match up with Judah should favor Berto. Judah is a small boxer that also belongs at 140 pounds and boxes well enough to lose close matches to all of the best boxers at 147 pounds. After that, Berto can rematch Collazo in what should be a much higher profile match.

Collazo was great in this match. Had Collazo had a little better conditioning, he probably wins. He gave away round 7 to recover his stamina and took portions of other rounds off to save his strength. Berto went hard the entire match and that was the difference. If Collazo is given the immediate rematch, he will face Berto next and give the champion possibly a harder test then he faced tonight. More likely, after losing his third high profile title match Collazo is going to be forced to take on some other opponents before getting another title opportunity. The cut above Collazo's left eye is going to have him suspended for months. Therefore, Collazo is probably going to come back in a 10-rounder against an easy opponent on ESPN, before maybe facing Berto on HBO this Fall.

The dramatic ending turned this into a great match and something people should go out of their way to see. People should also tune in early to watch HBO try and work the boxing fans. It will be very amusing for pro-wrestling and MMA fans.