When it was announced a few weeks ago that HBO was putting together a triple-header featuring WBC Welterweight champ Andre Berto, WBO Super Welterweight champ Sergei Dzinzriuk and often avoided featherweight Celestino Caballero, it looked like the network of "chumps" was going to have at least one decent card lined up for the rest of the year. Berto's available opponents are not making the young champion rush to sign, however, and now his presence in the triple-header will surely be missed. With that being said, you have to wonder if something else is in the works for the undefeated champion, who has grown accustomed to passing on fights that won't net him the type of paydays he's grown accustomed to. Could a potential showdown with another undefeated fighter, Floyd "Money" Mayweather, be in the works?
The only available opponents Berto could possibly fight on that date would have been rising prospect Mike Jones or his mandatory, Selcuk Aydin, but neither of those names bring an audience or a big paycheck, for that matter. While I can easily call Berto delusional for thinking he can command big paydays despite the fact he hasn't headlined one major fight in his career, I can't blame his promoter, Lou DiBella. After all, they were really pushing for a fight with Miguel Cotto at the end of the year, but Top Rank wanted to match their man up with one of their hokey fighters instead. So now, there is only one way for Berto to score a big paycheck and that's to get Floyd Mayweather in the ring in the ring with him.
Despite Berto being unable to draw flies to a horses ass, Mayweather's drawing power alone would make it a titanic money fight between the two undefeated Welterweights. The irony is that Berto currently holds the WBC welterweight title that Mayweather relinquished when he retired. Not to mention, it is a far more appealing fight than Manny Pacquiao's upcoming November 13 "business transaction" against Antonio Margarito. If word of Mayweather's return towards the end of the year or early 2011 are true, perhaps Berto might fit the bill as the B-side.
Adamek Is A Goner
Despite the wide nature of the scorecards, after I saw Tomasz Adamek squeak by Michael Grant last weekend, it effectively ended my thoughts that he could become a Heavyweight champion. While Adamek brings that speed up to the division, he is feather-fisted at Heavyweight and probably will not be able to survive a sustained and consistent attack from the Kiltschkos or even David Haye.
Grant had Adamek hurt in a few spots through the fight and could've stopped him in the fifth or final round, but simply couldn't put him away. Had it been a Klitschko in the ring, however, Adamek would've been put down hard. This guy has been busted up in his past three fights in the division and whereas Grant and Cris Arreola were hard punchers, Jason Estrada was not and did seem to hurt Adamek at times as well. While I used to believe that Adamek would win a Heavyweight title, now it's very apparent that he won't be able to ascend to the top of the mountain.
Saul Alvarez Calls Out Chavez
Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. sure does talk a lot, but now it's time to back up his mouth now that he's actually ticked somebody off. Chavez has called out rising prospect Saul Alvarez to a fight and Alvarez is ready and willing to fight him at 154 pounds. Of course, seeing that Chavez is a headliner for the TRBF (Top Rank Boxing Federation) and that Alvarez probably is a lot better than Chavez anyway, I doubt that fight will happen.
Either way, Chavez has a potential fight with Miguel Cotto this winter and I'm putting all my eggs in the basket that Cotto is going to stop him hard and early, so why should I care about this fight happening anyway?