ANDRE BERTO MEDIA CONFERENCE CALL TRANSCRIPT
Leonard Ellerbe
I’d like to thank everyone for calling in today to hear from our main event fighter, Andre Berto who will be fighting Floyd “Money” Mayweather Saturday, September the 12th.
HIGH STAKES: Mayweather vs. Berto is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and it’ll be shown live on SHOWTIME PPV. Just a reminder, the PPV broadcast will begin at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT. Our event is sponsored by Tecate, we still have tickets on sale at the MGM now and tickets are priced at $150, $300, $500, $750, $1,000 and $1,500.
Mayweather vs. Berto will be shown live in select movie theaters all across the country with our partners at Fathom Events Tickets and they’re on sale now at FathomEvents.com
The main event features Floyd “Money” Mayweather, he’ll be fighting Andre Berto, who is on our call today, in a high stakes matchup that will definitely be Floyd’s last and Berto will have the chance to finally put an end to Floyd’s undefeated record.
Our co-main event will feature a very exciting WBO Junior Lightweight Title fight between Roman “Rocky” Martinez and Orlando Salido. This is a rematch of their fight of the year from this past April.
The Martinez vs. Salido fight is followed by Mayweathers Promotions’ own Badou Jack “The Ripper” making his first title defense of his 168-pound world title. He’ll be fighting George Groves out of the UK. The Jack vs. Groves fight is presented in association with Team Sauerland.
As I announced last week the first PPV televised opener is a 10-round Junior Lightweight showdown featuring Mexican power puncher Jhonny Gonzalez and he’ll be fighting Puerto Rico’s own Jonathan Oquendo.
Then next up I’d like to introduce the man of the hour, former two-time world champion out of Winter Haven, Florida, he’ll be representing his country, Haiti, and he’ll be looking to upset Floyd come Saturday, September the 12. He’ll use his power that in my eyes makes this a very exciting fight because as you all know Berto’s never in a boring fight. So here he is, none other than Andre Berto himself.
Andre Berto
Hello. What’s going on? I’m still at camp now, we’ve had a tremendous camp, a long camp and probably one of the best camps that I have ever been a part of. I am probably in the best shape that I have ever been in so I’m just looking forward to next Saturday.
Q
Everyone agrees that in order to beat Floyd you have to be able to cut off the ring on him. How have you been working on to do that?
A. Berto
You know we’ve been working on a lot of different tactics, we work with a lot of different sparring partners as well. I’m just working just a lot of different things. Floyd, he’s a very knowledgeable fighter and fighting in the squared circle and you’d have to know how to incorporate a lot of different things and if it’s cutting the ring off or even if it’s fighting in the middle of the ring, you just have to be ready for anything.
Q
How is your approach to Floyd going to be different from other opponents?
A. Berto
I think my combination of speed and power that I bring to the table and at same time I believe I have the athletic ability to keep up with Floyd as well.
I believe that’s one thing with him, that has served him well throughout the years, is he has skill, he has speed but, but he has aerobic and athletic ability to get out of the way of punches, be able to move his feet, and just do a lot of the different things that make it very difficult on guys that are just straight up and down as he likes to say.
Q
Andre how do you think a win against Floyd Mayweather would change your life?
A. Berto
It’ll be something huge. Not just for me but for the sport. Floyd, he has been an icon for some time now and now you know he’s on his way to try to actually match a record.
So for me being the young hungry fighter coming in, taking that away from him would be huge and that’s the mindset.
Q
Andre are you, are you surprised by all the criticism that your selection as Floyd’s opponent has caused?
A. Berto
No I mean I believe right now anybody in this position would get a nice bit of criticism, especially coming off of Floyd beating Pacquiao. As a fighter you have to prepare yourself for it. So I prepare my mind and body. I prepare myself for it and you can’t go into the situation thinking about the critics.
The critics talking that way, they’re not in the gym training with us. They do something completely different than what we do. We’re fighters and we’re able to do things that these critics can’t do, so I don’t get affected by the critics.
Q
Do you think that Floyd might be looking past you at all in this fight? Based off some of the things we saw on “ALL ACCESS.”
A. Berto
I haven’t even watched the “ALL ACCESS” show. I’ve just been dialed in doing what we’re supposed to be doing and I don’t need to be caught up in all that, and I don’t need to be caught up in all the hoopla and all the crazy stuff.
At the end of the day, this right here is a huge opportunity for me. I don’t want to get caught up and caught off guard just by all the extra stuff or the media. I’m dialed in and, and I’m on a mission. The whole team’s just focused on one thing.
Q
What areas has Virgil Hunter made you a better fighter and when you look back on the decision why was it the right one?
A. Berto
Virgil Hunter is just a very technical trainer, my previous trainer he did a great job and he got me the world title, I just thought that you needed something different.
I just needed another small piece to the puzzle. There was a reason why I took certain losses to some guys that I knew I shouldn’t have. I should’ve got myself out of situations but I just didn’t know.
I hadn’t been in the gym when it feels like you’re in school every day. I’ve picked up a lot of knowledge and technical IQ.
Q
In getting you ready for this fight have you prepared dramatically differently than you had in the three other fights that Virgil has worked with you on?
A. Berto
Yes, this is a different fight, different fighter, so it’s a completely different type of camp, a very intense camp. The main thing is just staying focused on the goal. Just not veering off and getting involved in anything else.
Q
How much input did you have in the game plan or was it mostly Virgil saying here’s what you need to do to win this fight?
A. Berto
Yeah I had some input because Floyd is a guy I’ve known for a long time. He’s the guy that I’ve watched for a very long time so you know I know is style very well.
So certain things I can go in the ring, and mimic certain things that he does. So me and Virgil, we definitely bounce off a lot of different ideas and he watches a lot of tape and we just put it together.
Q
Leonard I have a question just regarding the tickets, there are still tickets available. Approximately how many tickets are available?
L. Ellerbe
I haven’t read my report today, but I don’t see why that would be a concern.
Q
Can you talk about what happened in the Guerrero and Soto Karass fights and the criticism that comes because of the losses?
A. Berto
I don’t ever really care too much about people who are hating on my situation. I’ve had haters since I was in middle school. They’re going to be around you.
I don’t care too much about criticism and all that but with the Guerrero fight I took some thumbs in the eye. In, the second and third round both of my eyes closed up on me and I never been in that type of situation before, I’ve never had to encounter anything like that before. But I never thought about stopping.
I let him just walk me back to the ropes because that’s the only way I knew that he was in front of me to hit because I couldn’t see him. I threw upper cuts and I hit him with certain shots and the only way I could know that I hit him with a good shot was if I could hear the crowd.
It was just real freaky little stuff that was just happening and I just didn’t understand. I never got poked in my eye before, not even training, not even fighting and sparring whatever, and I used to hear about how bad it could be but to get poked in both of your eyes, it’s crazy.
The Soto Karass fight same thing, my shoulder popped out and I slightly tore it the week before the fight but I fought with injuries plenty of other times and I didn’t know how bad it can get, I didn’t think it was too bad, I thought it probably a torn muscle in there or something small.
I hit him solid for the first time in that second round and that shoulder, it just went and it just tore it all apart and I kept fighting.
I kept fighting, I kept throwing it and every time I threw it I, it would hurt to hell, I’d yell out or the referee would see me making a sound and you know Karass would see that my shoulder’s hurt and I didn’t want to stop, I still thought I could’ve beat him with the left hand.
That’s just my situation and I can’t really explain it. Those are guys I should have beat, but some things are out of your control.
Q
Should we expect to see you try to pressure him, particularly in the early going?
A. Berto
I don’t fight like Maidana, I don’t fight like Castillo, I’m a different fighter, I don’t have that type of style. Maidana, his style works for him, he’s very reckless and, not too much speed, a lot of power and he comes from every angle. That’s not me.
Castillo same thing, you get a classic Mexican fighter that walks to you and gives you lefts and swings and that’s not me as a fighter. I’m saying I’m fast, I got power, and then I can move my feet, I can do a lot more as well.
I believe I can apply pressure and box and both will be effective for me.
Q
I know you really can’t let it consume you or anything but when you see the odds in this fight how do you not take that personally and now allow that to effect you?
A. Berto
I don’t know even know what the odds are. I’m over here training for a full fight to make this a war. I don’t take time out of my day to sit down and look at the odds and see what other people think. If that was the case I shouldn’t have made it out of where I came from because making it out of there is slim to none.
I didn’t go by those odds either and the same thing in this situation. Where my people come from is a lot worse than anything in that ring. I just train hard, ride hard and I just push it to the limit, that’s it.
Q
Why will you beat Floyd Mayweather?
A. Berto
End of the day it’s what I believe and what my team believes. We do put in work, we have the ability to come out victorious September 12th and, and that’s the only confirmation that we need.
I have that rare combination of speed and power and I’m in incredible shape. I’m younger, I’m hungry and it’s a great recipe for victory.
Q
Andre have you noticed any slippage in Floyd, it doesn’t look like it to most of us but have you noticed any slippage in him at all or no?
A. Berto
There’s definitely been some slippage throughout the years, the last couple fights but like I said he’s one of those guys doesn’t abuse his body.
He’s always going to respect his sport so if you respect the sport the sport’s going to respect you. He hasn’t really been taking too much of a toll in the ring and he hasn’t really abused himself outside the ring.
He’s going to stay as sharp as he’s been the last few years but you can be as sharp as you are but all it only takes is one single moment you know for somebody to capitalize on it.
Q
When you first hooked up with Virgil Hunter what was your time frame or when you expected to be back on this stage?
A. Berto
We didn’t really have a timeframe, I was just excited to be in a new team and with a new coach and just to learn new things and, and to be able to use the new things you see to reach your full effectiveness in the ring.
Q
When you took the fight with Josesito Lopez earlier this year was the expectation that with the win would come a big fight?
A. Berto
I just take it one fight at a time, so I didn’t know what would come after this fight, after the Josesito fight. I don’t know what the situation was but I know I had situations lined up for me.
I was just excited just to be back in the mix man, at the end of the day to be realistic I was just happy to be able to come back from this injury and to be able to come back in and be focused and put on some good exciting performances.
It didn’t really matter who was next but this is a blessing for sure.
K. Swanson
Andre, final comments?
A. Berto
I want to thank everybody for being on the call. Thank you for all your comments and it’s going to be an exciting weekend next weekend. You want to definitely come see a great display of speed, power and skill. You’re set for an exciting stage for everybody tuning in on PPV or definitely come out to Vegas and check out the show.
Maybe after the fight Leonard can take me to where he shops and get his suits so I can catch a ride and get fresh like this cat and you know we’ll have a good time.
K. Swanson
Make sure we’re going to put that in the transcript too okay? All right. Thanks everybody. We will see you next week if you’re coming to the fight and watch out for your fight week schedule.
TICKETS: Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by Mayweather Promotions LLC, are priced at $1,500, $1,000, $750, $500, $300, $150 and are on sale now. Tickets are limited to eight (8) per household all ticket prices except the $150 ticket category, which is limited to four (4) per household. To charge by phone or with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets are also available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com.
