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Andre Berto Los Angeles
Workout
Photos: Scott Hirano - SHOWTIME
Two-time welterweight world champion Andre Berto (30-3,
23 KOs) participated in a media workout at the J.W.
Marriott at L.A. Live as he prepares for the biggest
fight of his career. In front of an enthusiastic crowd,
Berto looked focused and in great shape, jumping rope
and shadowboxing, as he looks to become the first
fighter to defeat 12-time world champion Floyd “Money”
Mayweather (48-0, 26 KOs), on Saturday, Sept. 12 at the
MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas live on SHOWTIME
PPV® (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT).
In addition to Berto, top 168-pound contender George
Groves and former three-time world champion Jhonny
Gonzalez participated in the media workout as they
prepare for their respective fights on the SHOWTIME PPV
broadcast.
The training session was hosted by TV & CBS Radio
personality Big Tigger and Emmy® Award-winning sports
reporter Mark Kriegel and streamed in high definition
across multiple platforms, including via satellite feed,
YouTube and social media.
Promoted by Mayweather Promotions, the Sept. 12
four-fight pay-per-view telecast will be produced and
distributed live by SHOWTIME PPV and is the sixth and
final fight of a record-breaking deal between Mayweather
and Showtime Networks Inc. SHOWTIME Sports® will support
the event with the Sports Emmy® Award-winning series ALL
ACCESS.
In world championship fights on the pay-per-view
telecast, Roman “Rocky” Martinez (29-2-2, 17 KOs) will
defend his WBO Junior Lightweight title in a rematch
against four-time world champion Orlando “Siri” Salido
(42-13-2, 29 KOs), and Badou Jack “The Ripper” (19-1-1,
12 KOs) will make the initial defense of his WBC Super
Middleweight World title against mandatory challenger
“Saint” George Groves (21-2, 16 KOs). The opening fight
of the telecast will feature former three-time world
champion and Mexican power-puncher Jhonny Gonzalez
(58-9, 49 KOs) against Puerto Rico’s Jonathan “Polvo”
Oquendo (25-4, 16 KOs) in a 10-round junior lightweight
scrap.
Plus, former 154-pound world champion Ishe Smith (27-7,
12 KOs) will be opposed by longtime top-five contender
Vanes Martirosyan (35-2-1, 21 KOs) in the 90-minute
COUNTDOWN LIVE: MAYWEATHER vs. BERTO” preshow on
Saturday, September 12.
What Berto, Berto’s trainer, Virgil Hunter, George
Groves, Jhonny Gonzalez and Mayweather Promotions CEO
Leonard Ellerbe said Friday:
Andre Berto
"From an energy aspect I feel great. It's my first time
in a while coming into a fight with no injuries. This is
the healthiest I've been since I can remember.
"At the end of the day, this fight was supposed to
happen two or three times. Situations with me not taking
care of myself and not taking opponents seriously caused
it to happen. But styles make fights and we'll see what
the boxing fans say Sept. 12.
"I know that I'm still the same guy who people thought
could have given Floyd problems a couple years ago.
"Victor Ortiz and Robert Guerrero both got fights with
Floyd because they beat me. There must be something to
that. They said 'if he did something to Berto, he should
get a shot at Floyd.'"
"We're here. It's my time to see him. He can have his 'MayVinci'
code because we put in the work. The whole team is
confident. I'm going to do what I do.
"We worked on a lot of different things at camp. I have
the speed to keep up with him. I have more power.
"The thing with Floyd is, most guys he fights aren't as
athletic as he is. But I am.
"If you come at Floyd fast but don't have a plan and
don't have good footwork, it's too easy for him. If you
have a guy that's as athletic as him, it gives him
problems.
"There is a lot more to me than just walking guys down.
I have speed, I have power, I have a crazy uppercut, I
can move to the side. There are a lot of ways I can get
it done.
"I'm not going to watch his sparring. I don't want to
watch him driving his cars, none of that. I want to see
him Sept. 12.
"This is my first time going into a fight without all
the pressure on my back. I've always been the favorite
in every fight. I don't know what he's feeling and I
don't really have to care about it.
"It's a different mindset. Coming from where I come
from, we always had to defeat the odds. We didn't have
what other people had. We had to work twice as hard for
everything. To be noticed to be seen. Even back then it
drove me to be the best that I can be. I wanted everyone
to know I was somebody you had to watch.
"I've faced these odds my whole life. I was discounted
two years ago when I was laying in the hospital. I'm
constantly envisioning victory.
"All the hard work we're putting in, it'll all pay off
fight night. It's not just for me. I've been through
doing things for me. I see what’s real now.
"I've prepared myself mentally to be in this position.
People can say whatever they want. We're focused.
"This is going to be for everyone who believes in the
underdog."
Virgil Hunter
“We have a unique opportunity right in front of us. We
have a chance at history and to cement a legacy for my
fighter (Berto).
“What is the key to winning this fight? (Berto) has got
to want to win. He has to want it more. He holds the
keys in his hand. You can plan as much as you want for
tomorrow, but we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. We
can only prepare.
“If (Berto) wins this fight, you’ll see me jumping up
and down and it will be hard to compose myself. I’m
usually pretty composed, but you might see me jump up
and fall out of the ring and hit my head or something.
“No matter what happens, Floyd will always be considered
one of the best ever. Win or lose, his legacy is
cemented.
“There are similarities between Floyd and Andre Ward.
They both started boxing as young boys, and were
Olympians and are undefeated. There’s a lot of pressure
that comes with being undefeated and they both have
faced that.
“It’s not fair to the fight game to say this is a free
shot and to go in there and say we have nothing to lose.
We have everything to lose.”
George Groves
"Training camp has been going great. We're fully
acclimated to the time change and altitude. We're
performing very well in the gym and fulfilling the plan.
I'm ready to rock.
"We've trained in the U.S. before. Last year we came
over to spar with Gennady Golovkin. This time we’re out
there for much longer and it has been very successful.
"I like training in the altitude and I expect it to help
me on fight night. We got used to it over the weeks of
camp and now it's time to bring the extra energy to the
ring.
"I'm fully immersed in this fight with Badou Jack.
Everyone wants to know about the future plans, but I
leave that up to the promoters. My main concern is
winning that WBC belt.
"I carry power. I have good hands and foot speed. I can
control the fight from anywhere. The mistakes that Badou
Jack makes, I will take advantage of.
"I want to announce myself as the best fighter in the
division and I'm planning on doing that Sept. 12. There
won't be any question marks. After I win this fight,
I'll have proof.
"I'm a valuable commodity in the UK and it's about time
I started building my brand in the states. This is a
huge opportunity being on the Mayweather card. The
undercard will not be overlooked this night.
"Every fight is more important than the last. It doesn't
matter who you fight, it can affect you in a big way. I
have a style that will naturally engage with the fans.
People like to see me fight. I look to take the opponent
out and that will be the same on Sept. 12.
"Once Badou Jack leaves an opening, I will take it. I
plan to look very good doing so."
Jhonny Gonzalez
"I feel great. I've been preparing at the gym a lot and
I feel very good about this fight.
"I am ready to win in this division and compete for a
world title right away.
"I am fighting so quickly after my last victory because
I am very confident. I want to stay active. I want to
gain what I had before the loss to [Gary] Russell. I'm
moving forward.
"I know that my opponent is a strong fighter. He's going
to throw a lot of punches but I'm going to bring it
right back at him hard.
"Being on the Mayweather card is a blessing. I'm excited
to be in Las Vegas with the whole world watching.
"I'm honored to be fighting on the Mexican Independence
weekend. I'm ready to represent for my Mexican people.
I'm going to leave everything in the ring.
"What I want out of this fight, is an opportunity to win
a world title. This is why I train so hard, to win world
titles and fight in big fights.
"I believe in my power punches. I'm intelligent on the
inside and the outside. I believe in myself as a fighter
and that is why I'll win."
Leonard Ellerbe
“I think Floyd shocked everyone by sparring on his media
day on Wednesday. It wasn’t planned. You just never know
what you’re going to get at any Mayweather event. He’s
always going to do something to attract attention and
put on a show.
“There’s no fear in Virgil (Berto’s trainer) or Andre
checking it out and finding something that they can use
against Floyd. Virgil is an excellent trainer and they
will be prepared for everything for this fight.
“Everything is right on track with the promotion. Doing
a media workout like this is very important to keep the
publicity up and to market the event and let the
fighters interact with the fans. We have a tremendous
undercard on Sept. 12
“The SHOWTIME All Access episodes have been excellent
and are getting the fans and media excited for this
fight.”
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