Berto wins convincing decision, retains welterweight title

Berto easily retains welterweight title

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. — Andre Berto retained his World Boxing Council welterweight title with a unanimous decision over Colombia’s Juan Urango on Saturday night.

The undefeated Berto’s quickness frustrated Urango throughout their bout at the Hard Rock Live Arena.

Preferring to keep his distance, Berto landed repeatedly with lead left jabs to the head, and also was effective with rights to the head.

Urango continued to pursue Berto, but only found quick lefts and rights to the head for his strategy.

Berto, of Winter Haven, Fla., won on two judges’ scorecards 118-110 and 117-111 on the third.

In the fourth round, Urango finally pinned Berto and enjoyed one of his best rounds, landing lefts to the head and body. Berto also countered with rights to the head.

Berto (25-0) didn’t allow Urango the space for infighting situations in the middle rounds as he connected repeatedly with right uppercuts and lefts to the head. Berto also was effective at landing a lead right, immediately clinching Urango and avoiding any possible counter shots.

The crowd became bored with an action-lacking ninth, booing during what appeared a round in which Berto reduced his punch volume while Urango (21-2) kept chasing the defensive-minded champion.

Berto picked up the pace in the final three rounds and again landed lead rights to the head.

Although he moved up to the 147-pound welterweight class, Urango retains the International Boxing Federation junior-welterweight title he won Jan. 30.

Berto weighed 145 pounds for Saturday’s bout, one less than Urango.

In another bout, former IBF welterweight champion Kermit Cintron ended Alfred Angulo’s unbeaten record with a convincing unanimous decision.

Cintron (30-2-1) scored with lead left jabs, keeping Angulo at a distance for most of their 12-round junior-middleweight bout. Using his quickness, Cintron also outpointed the pressure minded Angulo (15-1) with rights to the head.

Angulo did his best work in the middle rounds, when he shortened the punching range and connected with combinations to the head.

But Cintron resumed his lead left jab strategy in the closing rounds and didn’t let Angulo get close to him.

All three judges scored the bout for Cintron 116-112. There were no knockdowns.

Cintron and Angulo both weighed 153 pounds.