Andre Berto earns redemption, knocks out Victor Ortiz in rematch

Andre Berto earns redemption, knocks out Victor Ortiz in rematch
Mark E. Ortega
USA TODAY
April 30, 2016

CARSON, Calif. — It may have come many years later than he hoped, but Andre Berto finally got sweet redemption against Victor Ortiz.

Climbing off the canvas in the second round, Berto fought his way back and stopped Ortiz in the fourth round of their PBC on FOX main event at the StubHub Center in front of 7,760 fans. He avenged the first defeat of his professional career, a decision loss to Ortiz back in April of 2011 that was many people’s Fight of the Year.

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Sanchez gets called up to the majors

Sanchez gets called up to the majors
Mark E. Ortega
Martinez News-Gazette
September 1, 2013


When Luis Collazo first won a world title by beating Jose Antonio Rivera by unanimous decision in 2005, Fairfield’s Alan Sanchez wasn’t even old enough to drive, being just fourteen years old.

While Collazo had fought names like Ricky Hatton, Shane Mosley, and Andre Berto in fights all televised by HBO by 2009, Sanchez had yet to fight a professional bout.

It’ll be Collazo who Sanchez looks across the ring at on Monday night when the two fight in the ten-round main event of Fox Sports One’s new Monday night boxing program. The show emanates from San Antonio, Tex.

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DiBella, Hearn on Berto-Brook

DiBella, Hearn on Berto-Brook

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

September 9, 2011

As the dust settles on Andre Berto's newly-claimed welterweight crown, Leave It In The Ring speaks to promoters Lou DiBella and [Matchroom Sports’] Eddie Hearn—who represent the latest IBF champion and undefeated Englishman Kell Brook, respectively—on the possibility of a meeting between the two welterweights.

“Well, we are fighting [Rafa] Jackiewicz who has beaten Jan [Zaveck] and Jackiewicz is #5 in the IBF, so when we beat him we will be right there for a shot at Berto,” stated Hearn just days after the enthralling but brief bout between the Haitian-born Berto and Jan Zaveck.

Arrellano: "Opportunity of a lifetime"

Ortiz Manager Arrellano: “Opportunity of a lifetime”

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

June 7, 2011

With the official announcement that Floyd Mayweather, Jr. will be stepping out of a 14 month bout of inactivity to take on reigning WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz on September 17^th, I caught up with Ortiz manager Rolando Arrellano this morning to discuss the fight.

“We agreed to any and all conditions,” stated an elated Arrellano over the phone. “This is Floyd's promotion, he is the man, he has earned his position. We didn't care too much about the gloves, the location, just tell us where and when to show up, it's an opportunity of a lifetime.”

From marinated to overcooked: Lopez-Gamboa, Kirkland-Angulo, & Ortiz-Berto

From marinated to overcooked? Lopez-Gamboa, Kirkland-Angulo, & Ortiz-Berto

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

April 18, 2011

In this midweek piece, Leave-it-in-the-ring's Mark Ortega discusses the overcooked bout between Juan Manuel Lopez and Yuriorkis Gamboa that fell to shambles following Lopez' shock loss to Orlando Salido this weekend, and why promoters should put their fighters in tough more often as was the case with Andre Berto and Victor Ortiz the same night, where the loser gained just as much in defeat as he had in winning his first 27 pro fights. As was the case with Tua-Ibeabuchi in '97, no career will be derailed from the great welterweight bout between Berto-Ortiz.

The month of April has already seen its fair share of upsets in big time bouts as well as the vanquishing of quite a few future paydays for many fighters on the losing end of them.

Tough, tough lucked Collazo ready for another opportunity

Tough, tough lucked Collazo ready for another opportunity

Mark E. Ortega

Leave-it-in-the-ring.com

March 21, 2011

Despite being only thirty years of age, former welterweight champion Luis Collazo of Brooklyn, New York has seen his share of big fight opportunities slip through his hands, more often than not the cause being something out of his control. Despite many questions left unanswered over the course of the 30-year old fighter's nearly eleven year professional career, he has found a way to move on and let the past be the past, focusing all of his efforts on a better tomorrow where he hopes another opportunity to showcase his talents at the upper tier will appear soon.