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Q&A: Andre Berto!

September 12, 2007

Unbeaten welterweight Andre Berto (19-0, 16 KOs) will get a chance to prove why the critics are raving about him when he faces David Estrada (21-3, 12 KOs) on September 29 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J. The bout will be the televised opener for the big Jermain Taylor vs Kelly Pavlik middleweight title clash on HBO.

Hi Andre, how are things going with preparations for your fight with David Estrada on September 29th?

Everything is going pretty much as planned. I've been working really hard. We'redoing camp here in Miami. We're putting a lot of good work in, sparring partners, they've been putting in a lot of good work with me. I'm staying focused, staying sharp, so everything is going as planned.

Estrada is also a Miami fighter- how familiar are you with him?

Actually, I've only seen him fight a few times. I think my second pro fight I fought on the undercard when he fought Chris Smith. I haven't really had a chance to see him too much. I've seen a few of his tapes, but I know he's a real aggressive fighter. He has a lot of heart so it's gonna be an entertaining fight.

So you never really crossed paths with him in the gym scene down there?

No, not at all.

He's listed as being only a half inch taller than you. Do you prefer guys closer to your height or are you used to guys being taller than you?

I'm used to fighting a little bit taller guys, but you know I try to adjust to all sizes. I have a few sparring partners who are a little taller, but I can adjust to any size.

Estrada has been in with guys like Chris Smith whom he beat, and guys like Shane Mosley and Kermit Cintron to whom he lost. Do you consider him a step up in class?

Oh yeah definitely. No doubt. Right now we're at this point on the escalator just taking gradual steps up to get to the world title. He's definitely a step up for me because he's bee in with world class competition. It's definitely a real good test for me.

You've been around fellow Floridians Winky Wright and Jeff Lacy. Those two guys have really different styles from each other obviously. Do you try to take a little bit from each of the more experienced guys that you're around?

Oh yes definitely. You know I've been sparring Winky for a long time and Jeff also. I just try to take a little bit from everybody that I sparred with, that I look up to just to create my own type of situation. I try to learn as much as I can when I'm in there with those guys or when I'm just watching them. I believe that I'm never too old to learn more. I try to learn as much as I can and incorporate it into my training.

In your last fight against Cosme Rivera, you got dropped for the first time in your career. For some fighters, when that happens, they see it as a blessing in disguise- a learning experience. Do you look at it that way or did it tick you off that you went down?

You know going into the fight I had a lot of hype. I answered a lot of questions with the critics and with the fans. As a young prospect coming up, they always have those questions: What if this happens? What if that happens? So, I think we answered a lot of questions. We can get put in some type of adversity and stay focused and finish up the job. At the same time it was a blessing in disguise for me because it put me back in perspective to stay focused all through the fight. I got a little careless but I paid for it.

You mentioned overcoming adversity. You overcame quite a bit of adversity as an amateur trying to make the U.S. Olympic team in 2004. You got disqualified in the preliminary qualifying rounds, and in a strange twist of fate, you were invited by the Haitian government to join their team since you hold dual citizenships with the USA and Haiti. You accepted and became the first ever boxer to represent the country of Haiti in the Olympics. Did facing all that extra adversity and hoopla back then serve you well after turning pro and did it also affect you prior to your first round match in the games in which you lost a razor thin decision against Frances Xavier Noel?

You know, it definitely was unpleasant for me. It was kind of a bittersweet type of situation. I always saw myself going to the Olympics. Coming up that was always my dream but I never thought it would be in that type of way. But I just took it at that and represented Haiti- put the country on my back basically. I was a little stressed at the time, but all the stress just built character and made me a stronger person. It taught me to be a stronger fighter and stronger person in general. It came and it went so it was just a lovely experience for me.

When you finally decided to turn professional, you turned pro at 162 lbs. You've pared down your weight gradually to the welterweight limit. Are you able to make that weight comfortably with no detriment to your health and do you plan on staying there for awhile?

Oh yeah definitely- 147 lbs. I feel strong. I feel healthy. In the pro ranks you just have to stay a little more disciplined in what you do. This is a job now. In the amateurs it was fun, we had a great time hanging out with all the friends, going to all the international tournaments. After the whole Olympic deal, it was almost like graduation. All your friends they go their separate ways and go to different companies. I had to wise up and take it seriously, cut the extra weight down. It's all been working out for me.

You've moved up to the HBO level of exposure now. Are you pleased with the pace at which you're going, the level of opposition, and the level of exposure up to this point?

Definitely. Just being a young fighter in general, it's really hard to get that T.V. exposure. I've just been fortunate enough that the HBO execs came out to watch me at the beginning stage of my career and they were impressed. They gave me opportunities to fight on HBO and we've been getting a lot of good feedback. I have a strong team around me with Lou DiBella and Al Haymen so everything's been coming together well. I'm only three years in so I can't complain.

In this fight, you'll be fighting for the NABF title- your first belt. Does the 12 round distance pose a challenge to you or are you ready to go the distance if need be?

I'm ready to go the distance if necessary. That's what I've trained for. It's gonna be a big show, it's my first title belt. I'm looking forward to it. I'm putting in a lot of hard work.

You've said that you're planning on staying in the welterweight division- arguably the hottest in the sport with guys like De La Hoya, Mayweather, Mosley, Cotto, Hatton, Cintron, even Paul Williams. That's a lot a dollar signs and a lot of different styles. How does Andre Berto fit into that mix?

Oh man…like you said it's a real hot division and I hope to add a little bit of spice to it. All those guys you named, I'm the youngest out of all of them, but at the same time, I'm being mentioned in that circle. It's definitely a good thing for me but we still have a long road to go. Slowly but surely, we're making our way up the rankings and we'll be able to compete with all the top welterweights.

If the money was equal regardless of who was in the opposite corner- out of those opponents we just mentioned, which one makes your mouth water the most?

Oooh, which ever one the fans want to see me against the most. Which ever one would make the most exciting fight. I believe probably Cotto would be the most exciting fight for me in that division.

Any last words for the fans tuning on HBO?

For everybody who can't make it out to Atlantic City, just tune in on HBO. It's gonna be a throwback card with Jermain Taylor and Kelly Pavlik and me and David Estrada. You don't wanna miss it!