We last saw Andre Berto in the ring September 2015 when he came up short against now retired pound-for-pound champion Floyd Mayweather. Fast-forward to 2016, Berto returns to the ring and finds himself in another competitive fight against familiar foe Victor Ortiz, an opponent he last saw in April 2011. In the first clash, the multi-knockdown, drag out fight between Berto and Ortiz emerged as a fight-of-the-candidate with Ortiz’s hand was raised in victory in the end. A rematch was expected but talks soon ended after Berto tested positive for the steroid norandrosterone. Ultimately the findings were reversed as it was discovered the positive was the result of a contaminated dietary supplement but Ortiz moved on to fight Mayweather and the rematch was laid to rest.
With rematch scheduled for Saturday, the generally reserved Berto is willing to speak on a variety of topics but Mayweather is not one of them despite earning a career-high four millions dollars. Discussing everything from his previous positive PED test and reversal, Adrien Broner, and life in the stable with co-elite fighters Andre Ward and Amir Khan, the subject of Mayweather is off limits and firmly in his rear-view mirror.
At Wednesday’s media workout in Santa Monica, Berto opened up on the subject of rebuilding the mind following a debilitating injury. Berto who is friends with Keith “One Time” Thurman, who’s scheduled to fight Shawn Porter in June, offered the following advice on how to bounce back.
