On September 3rd, former WBC Welterweight champion Andre Berto (27-1) will return to the ring following a devastating loss to Victor Ortiz. He will face a veteran fighter in Jan Zaveck (31-1), hardly a top tier contender but still a test for the shaken Berto. In what was an epic bout, Berto traded knockdowns before being pummeled in the later rounds by a tougher Ortiz on his way to a decision loss. Many question his heart, stamina and toughness with Berto saying he was just having an off night. He will have his hands full and desperately needs a victory to keep himself relevant in an unforgiving welterweight division.
Jan Zaveck is an unknown commodity yet to capture the imagination of the boxing world despite holding the IBF welterweight title with notable wins over Isaac Hlatschwayo and Rafal Jackiwiecz on his way to capturing the crown. However he is seen as a heavy underdog having never faced the likes of an Andre Berto. Berto is more physically imposing than Zaveck and considered to have superior speed and skill. Zaveck however has never been stopped with a sole loss coming by way of a split decision whihc was soon avenged.
For Berto to win he needs to regain that aggressive style combined with slick boxing skill that led him the the title. Many feel Ortiz took his heart in that April fight and Berto backed down from the challenge. If Berto can utilize his speed and that powerful right hand he could make quick work of Zaveck. Zaveck must make this an ugly fight and neutralize the talent gap between him and Berto. Zaveck is a conventional European fighter who stands in and mixes it up. If he can catch Berto with his hands down it could be an upset waiting to happen.
Either way this is a huge crossroads fight for both fighters as they need to win to keep their career alive and on September 3rd we could see a great fight.