I used to be high on this kid but more and more I'm starting to feel like he is a hype job. He is in the top 10 in all the rankings but he doesn't hold one win over legit threat. I understand that he can't jump in with most of the top guys in the devision, but guys like Collazo are still out there, so why aren't they making the fights?

These 2004 olympians are being moved too slow for my tastes. He has a good win over Estrada, he was entertaining in that fight and he was also fun to watch against Rivera but he needs to start fighting top 10 guys. Put him in against Collazo and let's see what the kid can do.

Same goes for Andre Ward, the Dirrel brothers and any other 2004 olympian I've never heard of or seen fight.

When HBO stops approving shit opponents.

Would Jesus Soto Karass be too much to ask?

Berto's last 3 opponents haven't been bad...Cosme is an experienced fighter and Estrada is pretty solid...but he's taking a step down with his next opponent. I would love to see him against someone like Collazo.

I would love to see Berto vs Clottey

Yikes.

Clottey would put it on him.

I don't know I think Berto would do alright agianst Clottey.

I think they're moving these guys at the appropriate pace.

Look at some of the '96 Olympians, like Vargas and David Reid. They were moved too fast and burned out early in their careers. Andre Ward was being moved on the fast track as well and wasn't handling the national attention well. I remember him being rocked and dropped early on. After a few local fights away from the national scrutiny Ward is now getting ready to step up against Jerson Ravelo. Some guys, like Ricardo Williams, never get to that point because they don't handle the stress of being a main event early on.

Berto had a big test against a crafty vet in Cosme Rivera. In the fight Berto never really figured Rivera out, he just was so aggressive that he took Rivera out of his comfort zone for most of the night. Someone who can handle the pressure a little better, like a Collazo or Clottey, would take advantage of the openings Berto leaves when he comes in.

The Estrada win doesn't prove anything really because Estrada is just a catcher at this point. Berto didn't have to figure him out at all.

The best way to move a fighter is the way Bruce Trampler, the matchmaker at Top Rank, moved along guys like Kelly Pavlik and Miguel Cotto. Feeding them tough faded contenders and a few young and hungry yet incomplete fighters gives the mix of tenacity and experience to take on anyone.

I think they're moving these guys at the appropriate pace.

Look at some of the '96 Olympians, like Vargas and David Reid. They were moved too fast and burned out early in their careers. Andre Ward was being moved on the fast track as well and wasn't handling the national attention well. I remember him being rocked and dropped early on. After a few local fights away from the national scrutiny Ward is now getting ready to step up against Jerson Ravelo. Some guys, like Ricardo Williams, never get to that point because they don't handle the stress of being a main event early on.

Berto had a big test against a crafty vet in Cosme Rivera. In the fight Berto never really figured Rivera out, he just was so aggressive that he took Rivera out of his comfort zone for most of the night. Someone who can handle the pressure a little better, like a Collazo or Clottey, would take advantage of the openings Berto leaves when he comes in.

The Estrada win doesn't prove anything really because Estrada is just a catcher at this point. Berto didn't have to figure him out at all.

The best way to move a fighter is the way Bruce Trampler, the matchmaker at Top Rank, moved along guys like Kelly Pavlik and Miguel Cotto. Feeding them tough faded contenders and a few young and hungry yet incomplete fighters gives the mix of tenacity and experience to take on anyone.

Miguel Cotto is a shining example of how a fighter should be promoted.

It's all in the matchmaking. Trampler is the best in business. Look at Tye Fields. Most guys in the top 15 kill him. They did an excellent job of targeting Monte Barrett, who has shown an inability to come up with effective game plans to deal with larger, taller fighters.