Mosley-Berto Showdown is All Set and Ready to Go

With all the hype being channeled to the upcoming matchup between 7-division titleholder and current WBO welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao and former world champion Floyd Mayweather, some people do not really know Shane Mosley will be up against Andre Berto for the unification of the WBA and WBC welterweight titles on January 30, 2010.

Mosley is coming off an impressive and dominating knockout victory over Antonio Margarito almost a year ago, when he clubbed the Mexican with countless strong right hands to the head. Mosley was a 4-1 underdog in that fight, since Margarito defeated Cotto in a “spectacular” fashion in his last bout. Cotto edged a split decision over Mosley in their encounter.

The young Berto is undefeated in 26 fights and has shown great potential for superstar status. Aside from his power punching, he has also shown above average technical skills against veteran Steve Forbes. In his last outing, Berto managed to grab a unanimous decision victory over then undefeated Juan Urango for the WBC title.

Here’s my analysis of the fight.

Berto is the younger guy and that should be a key factor here. He will have to use his youth to his advantage. That means he should move a lot, box Mosley inside and outside, and wear him down with those jabs. If Berto is able to do that, he might get a decision.

That said, Mosley is no pushover. A great jabber, Mosley knows how to control the fight and keep it in a pace that favors him well. He also has power and a durable chin, which should pose problems for the former Olympian. If Berto gets careless or decides to trade with Mosley, he might find himself in the losing end of the bargain.

Adding to that the fact that Berto has not fought anyone with the caliber of Mosley, an elite fighter who has been proven and tested. However, Father Time is not on Mosley side and the fact that he has not fought for almost a year may have some adverse effects once he steps back in the ring.

Berto is young but lacks the necessary experience against an aging legend in Mosley. I see Mosley winning this one by decision.

Shane Mosley
Wins: 46
Losses: 5
KOs: 39
Stance: orthodox
Height: 5′ 9″ / 175cm
Reach: 74″ / 188cm


Andre Berto
Wins: 26
Losses: 0
KOs: 19
Stance: orthodox
Height: 5′ 8½″ / 174cm