The BTBC Fight of the Week

Saturday, April 10th

Andre Berto vs. Carlos Quintana

(WBC Welterweight Title)

BankAtlantic Center, Sunrise, Florida, USA

The Breakdown:

Andre Berto: 25-0 (19 KO), Rated #4 at Welterweight by The BTBC

Age: 26

Height: 5' 8 1/2

Stance: Orthodox

Career Achievements: Reigning WBC Welterweight Champ (3 defenses)

Last 5 Fights: Michel Trabant (Win via RTD-6), Miguel Angel Rodriguez (Win via TKO-7), Steve Forbes (Win via UD-12), Luis Collazo (Win via UD-12), Juan Urango (Win via UD-12);

Pre-Fight Quote:"I appreciate everyone coming out. I had a tremendous training camp and it's going to be a terrific night of boxing on Saturday night. Carlos Quintana is a former world champion and a crafty southpaw. This is my third straight southpaw so I'm pretty used to them by now and I had some great southpaw sparring in training camp. I'm excited to get back in ring and honestly, I wish the fight was tonight. I've never been this focused, hungry and motivated for a fight before and Carlos Quintana has a major task on his hands on Saturday night. I'm going to let everything loose for a good cause, and you are going to see the best of me on Saturday night. It's going to be a terrific night of boxing and I hope everyone will come out and support this very important cause."

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Carlos Quintana: 27-2 (21 KO), Rated 5 to watch at Jr. Middleweight by The BTBC

Age: 33

Height: 5' 19 1/2"

Stance: Southpaw

Career Achievements: Former WBO Welterweight Champ

Last 5 Fights: Christopher Henry (Win via TKO-4), Paul Williams (Win via UD-12), Paul Williams (Loss via TKO-1), Joseph Onyango (Win via TKO-4), Jesse Feliciano (Win via TKO-3)

Pre-Fight Quote:"Andre Berto is a great, young fighter with a lot of power, but I'm also a great fighter and I will prove it Saturday night. There can only be one winner on Saturday night and I will be the winner and the new WBC Welterweight Champion of the World. I trained very hard for this fight, for a world title fight and for Berto. I did everything necessary to take the belt from Berto. You might see Berto acting very calm and peaceful right now and this a great cause, but he's a fighter I'm prepared to see something different on Saturday night, and it will definitely be a fight."

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Dafydd 'The Pocket Rocket's Prediction: Stylistically, Carlos Quintana is hell for Andre Berto. People know that and have blended it into their predictions. Stylistically, Andre Berto is hell for Carlos Quintana. I don't think people have considered that. Quintana, doesn't have the heart or grit to keep going when it gets tough, and Berto will punish him in this fight for every mistake Quitana will make. Quintana struggles with speed and his defense has dropped since the Williams fight, being floored by Jesse Feliciano, who's a similar puncher but a lot slower than Berto. Quintana's smart, and a very good technician, but Berto will have too much here, way too much. Andre Berto TKO-8

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BTBC Fight of the Week

Saturday, November 28th

Librado Andrade vs. Lucian Bute

(IBF Super Middleweight Title)

Pepsi Coliseum, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada

The Breakdown:

Lucian Bute: 24-0 (19 KOs), Rated #1 at Super Middleweight by The BTBC,

Age: 29

Height: 6' 2

Reach: 70"

Stance: Southpaw

Career Achievements: Reigning IBF Super Middleweight Champ (3 defences)

Notable Opposition: James Obede Toney (Win via TKO 8), Sakio Bika (Win via UD 12), Alejandro Berrio (Win via TKO 11), Librado Andrade (Win via UD 12), Fulgencio Zuinga (Win via TKO 4),

Pre-Fight Quote: "It was a small mistake (the ending of the first bout where he was dropped and hurt badly), this time I will be better,

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Librado Andrade: 28-2 (21 KOs), Rated #7 at Super Middleweight by The BTBC

Age: 31

Height: 6' 2"

Reach: 78"

Stance: Orthodox

Career Achievements: n/a

Notable Opposition: Otis Grant (Win via RTD 7), Mikkel Kessler (Loss via UD 12), Yusaf Mack (Win via TKO 7), Robert Stieglitz (Win via TKO 8), Lucian Bute (Loss via UD 12)

Pre-Fight Quote: "I came there to knock him out and that's exactly what I did. I got to him and I'll get to him again."

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Paulie the Sicilian's Prediction: Bute boxed Andrade's shorts off for 11 and a half rounds last time before getting knocked loopy. Andrade will be coming in with more confidence and the knowledge that he can hurt Bute...that will be a big factor in keeping this contest a lot closer than the first one.

But, still, Bute can outbox Andrade all night and hold when necessary...and he'll get the chance to with the Canadian officials.

Bute wins this via closer UD than the first time, but he won't be in danger at any point.

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BTBC Fight of the Week

Saturday, November 14^th

^{Miguel Cotto vs. Manny Pacquiao}

<sup>(WBO Welterweight Title)

MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA</sup>

^{The Breakdown:}

^{Miguel Cotto: 34-1 (27 KO), Rated #1 at Welterweight by The BTBC, Rated #5 on the most recent BTBC Pound-for-Pound list.}

^{Age: 29}

^{Height: 5' 7}

^{Reach: 67"}

^{Stance: Orthodox}

^{Career Achievements: 2000 Olympic Silver Medallist,}

^{Former WBO Jr. Welterweight Champ (6 defences)}

^{Former WBA Welterweight Champ (4 defences)
Reigning WBO Welterweight Champ (1 defence)}

^{Notable Opposition: Pauiel Malignaggi (Win via UD 12, Draw), Carlos Quintana (Win via RTD 5), Zab Judah (Win via TKO 11), Shane Mosley (Win via UD 12), Antonio Margarito (Loss via TKO 11), Joshua Clottey (Win via SD 12)}

Pre- Fight Quote: “We’ve trained very hard for this fight and I’m in excellent shape. It will be a great night for boxing and for the Puerto Rican people.”

^*********

^{Manny Pacquiao: 49-3-2 (15 KO), Rated #2 at Jr. Welterweight by The BTBC, Rated #1 on the most recent BTBC Pound-for-Pound list.}

^{Age: 30}

^{Height: 5' 6" 1/2}

^{Reach: 67"}

^{Stance: Southpaw}

^{Career Achievements: Former WBC Flyweight Champ (2 Defenses)
Former IBF Super Bantamweight Champ (4 Defenses)
Former WBC Super Featherweight Champ
Former WBC Lightweight Champ}

^{Notable Opposition: Marco Antonio Barrera (Win via TKO 11, Win via UD 12), Juan Manuel Marquez (Draw in 12, Win via SD 12), Erik Morales (Loss via UD 12, Win via TKO 10, Win via KO 3), Oscar Larios (Win via UD 12), Oscar De La Hoya ­(Win via RTD 8), Ricky Hatton (Win via KO 2)}

Pre-Fight Quote: “This fight is the most important fight in my boxing career because if I win this fight, I think it’s another history in boxing and Philippine boxing and it’s also a big honor to my country, to my family and to me."

^*********

Paulie The Sicilian's Prediction: It's gonna be ugly...Pacquiao won't knock Cotto out flat like Hatton; He's gonna poke him bloody...It's gonna be like watching a man beaten to death with the receiver of a telephone...The moment Cotto slows down, bleeds or gets wobbled, it's being stopped...Cotto will get zero chance to recover and make a comeback..."History" must be fulfilled and Arum's already got his plans...

Cotto is a very live underdog, but all he has going for him is that he punches hard...Fine, he has a chance, but where do people get off seeing Cotto suddenly becoming a Juan Manuel Marquez counter-puncher? When did you ever see Cotto come into the ring with a coherent game plan? He's always fought a black and white style and now, especially with the degradation of his corner, he will come in doing what he always does: punch and if that doesn't work, punch more.

Pacquiao has Roach on his side, who I'm sure has done his homework and has a Plan A, B and C ready to be executed. IMO, just as much as the built-in contractual cheats, having a real trainer in Pacquiao's corner will be the real decisive factor in the fight.

I see Manny coming on fast and strong because every second the fight lasts, Cotto has a greater chance of landing something big. Around the third, Pacquiao will be busted up. He'll fight on bravely, but will not be able to look to his corner to help recover and change the tide.

The end comes in the fifth with a flustered Cotto up against the ropes and Pacquiao throwing shots, rapid-fire style. Despite Cotto blocking most of the punches, the ref waves off the fight just as Cotto's own corner is about to throw in the towel...Bob Arum orgasms in his pants: Pacquiao TKO 5.

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The BTBC Fight of the Week

Saturday, July 18th

Andreas Kotelnik vs. Amir Khan

(WBA Jr. Welterweight Title)

M.E.N. Arena, Manchester, Lancashire, UK

The Breakdown:

Andreas Kotelnik: 31-2-1 (13 KO), Rated #8 at Jr. Welterweight by The BTBC

Age: 31

Height: 5' 7 1/2

Reach: 69"

Stance: Orthodox

Career Achievements: 2000 Olympic Silver Medalist,

Reigning WBA Jr. Welterweight Champ (2 defenses)

Notable Opposition: Souleymane M'baye (Loss via SD, Draw), Junior Witter (Loss via UD), Gavin Rees (Win via TKO 12), Marcos Maidana (Win via SD)

Pre-Fight Quote: “If I win this fight it will open the road to further fights, especially in America. Every fight is very important to me and for every fight I train really hard. Nobody can make any predictions, it all depends on what opportunities my opponent gives me to do what I want to do.”

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Amir Khan: 20-1 (15 KO), Rated #20 at Lightweight by The BTBC

Age: 22

Height: 5' 10"

Reach: 72"

Stance: Orthodox

Career Achievements: 2004 Olympic Silver Medalist

Notable Opposition: Willie Limond (Win via RTD 8), Breidis Prescott (Loss via KO 1), Marco Antonio Barrera (Win via TD 5)

Pre-Fight Quote: “Kotelnik is a fighter who keeps his guard very high so I think the body shots are going to work as well as the angles, I’ve got to hit and move. In and out movement is also going to work, but he’s a counter fighter so I have to be one step ahead of him every time. The key to victory is being patient and using my brains, being careful in the fight and just not making the mistakes we made in the last few fights.”

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Paulie The Sicilian's Prediction: Make no mistake about it, Frank Warren intends this to be Amir Khan's coming-out party and if Khan stays conscious for the entire bout, he's getting the nod.

Khan'll come out, stickin' and movin' and Kotelnik will follow him around for the full 12, occasionally touching and buzzing Khan, but never really able to close the gap.

Kotelnik is the much better technical boxer, but he lacks the athleticism of Khan and he lacks the power and drive to keep the 22-year-old (and the judges) honest.

Amir Khan takes this via Unanimous Decision with scores of 117-111, 116-112, 116-112.

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