Round by Round: Berto v. Rodriguez

The second main event of this Saturday night is between welterweights Andre Berto and Miguel Rodriguez. Andre Berto is a top young prospect in the division with an undefeated record. He is 21-0 with 18 KOs. If he moves past this fight with a win, his career will start to take off.

Rd 1: Both fighters feel each other out. Rodriguez throws the first punch. He now throws combos. Berto starts to jab. His punches are very fast. Berto gets counter punched by Rodriguez. Berto is told to watch the punches to the back of the head. Berto lands four hard jabs and hooks cleanly. Berto now lands more lightning combinations. Rodriguez now gets in there with some jabs.

Spartan117: 10-9 Berto

Rd 2: Rodriguez now starts turning up his punching output. Berto lands a very hard right hand, and Rodriguez backs up. Berto tries to go for the knockout. Rodriguez makes it out alive and clinches. Rodriguez starts punching again. Berto sets up more power shots with a stiff jab. Rodriguez now looks slower. Berto now landing many straight right hands. Rodriguez now lands a jab and a straight. Berto waves him in. Rodriguez is taking these punches well.

Spartan117: 10-9 Berto

Rd 3: Berto again looks to be going for the knockout. Rodriguez backs Berto into the ropes with a flurry. Rodriguez lands a solid jab and hook. Berto now gets back into the fight and lands a right hook. Rodriguez has Berto against the ropes but Berto is landing more punches in this position. Berto uses good foot movement to get around Rodriguez's defense to land cleanly.

Spartan117: 10-9 Rodriguez

Rd 4: Berto starts the round with three hard shots upstairs. Rodriguez's defense is nonexistent. Now both fighters work the body. Rodriguez sticks to the jab while Berto throws stiff combinations. He lands a hard left hook and Rodriguez backs up. Berto now counterpunching and scoring. Rodriguez now gets a jab and a hook in. Berto nods. Rodriguez gets caught off balance and gets hit with three more shots to the head.

Spartan117: 10-9 Berto

Rd 5: Berto is throwing at will upstairs. Rodriguez still comes forward. Berto is throwing all kinds of punches and landing the majority. Rodriguez still walks forward. Berto now gets backed into the ropes and clinches out. Rodriguez gets stuck bent over and Berto makes him pay. Rodriguez doesn't appear to be hurt but his face is bruised.

Spartan117: 10-9 Berto

Rd 6: The commentators say that they hear some trash talking going on in the ring. Berto snaps Rodriguez's head back with a good straight. Rodriguez lands a straight right. Berto lands multiple very hard right hands that all land and Rodriguez smiles. Berto lands five lightning fast hooks in a row at the bell.

Spartan117: 10-9 Berto

Rd 7: Berto lands a solid jab and an incredible uppercut and Rodriguez goes down. Rodriguez gets up but is hurt. The crowd starts to chant for Berto. Rodriguez appears to have shaken off the cobwebs and is back in the center of the ring. Berto lands another vicious right and Rodriguez goes down again. He gets up but only takes more punishment. The ref calls it and Berto is the winner.

The winner by TKO at 2:13 of the seventh round, and new WBC welterweight champion, Andre Berto.

Berto says that his nerves got to him in the beginning of the fight. He said this was because of the belt being on the line. He says he's a new kid on the block and says he wants to make an impact in the division. "It will take a bad man to take this away from me," he says.

Berto says he's not looking to fight anyone in particular. He says his power makes up for his size.