Disaster Saturday: Soto Karass Exposes Andre Berto, Andy Ruiz Jr. Exposes Joe Hanks
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Some of the bouts held on Friday July 26, 2013, and Saturday July 27, 2013, emerged as fortunate draws for the participants. Here are some of the lucky ones.
Super bantamweight prospect Edson ‘Showboat’ Sonsona got a technical draw after four rounds when he accidentally head butted and cut Daniel Ferrera on the forehead in their bout held in Metro Manila, the Philippines.
Super Featherweight contender Juan Carlos Burgos of Mexico was lucky to escape with a 12 round draw on Friday Night Fights with Yakubu Amidu of Ghana, in a foolish attempt to move from 130 to 135 pounds which, as it turned out, was not such a good idea after all, even against a late opponent taking the bout with only two weeks of notice.
Promoter Jimmy Burchfield Sr. probably scratched his head in wonder as his main event at Twin River Event Center in Rhode Island between super middleweights Vladine Biosse and Richard Gingras for the USA New England Super Middleweight title ended in an eight round draw. Super middleweight veterans Phil Williams and Derrick Findley also battled to an eight round draw in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Female featherweights Jackie Trivilino and Lindsay Garblatt battled to an eight round draw with two minute rounds in Saratoga Springs, New York. Light welterweights David L. Diaz and Greg Coverson Jr. battled to a four round draw in Cicero Stadium in Chicago, Illinois. 2-11-1 journeyman light middleweight Antonio Fernandez somehow earned a four round draw with 3-0 Greg Vendetti at Royale Nightclub in Boston, Massachusetts.
Former World Boxing Council and international Boxing Federation World Welterweight champion Andre Berto, and 21-0 heavyweight prospect Joe Hanks, were not so lucky in their main event bouts on Saturday, which could be called ‘Disaster Saturday’ for both fighters.
Veteran welterweight Jesus Soto Karass had a plan to defeat Andre Berto on Showtime at the A.T. & T. Center in San Antonio, Texas. Be the busier boxer, land more blows, and outwork the other boxer. Andre Berto, fighting after a few rounds with an injured right shoulder, was forced to use his left hand for most of the bout. It was good enough to knock Soto Karass down in the eleventh round, but it was not enough to win. Soto Karass got up and survived. With the bout even on the cards going into the twelfth and final round, Soto Karass went for a knockout to take the bout away from the judges. It proved a smart move, as Soto Karass managed to overpower and drop Berto to get the win, when referee John Schorle waved the count off at four and stopped the bout as Berto was grogg, giving Soto Karass the major upset, the vacant North American Boxing Federation Welterweight title, and perhaps winning a shot at Floyd Mayweather this Fall after Floyd fights Saul Alvarez.
Karass, now 28-8, 18 knockouts, Los Angeles California by way of Sinaloa, Mexico, rejuvenated his career in January 2013 when he won a majority ten round decision over 23-1 Selcuk Aydin. Between November 2009 and January 2012, Karass lost four bouts and had one no contest. He was stopped by Gabriel Rosado. After two comeback wins, Soto Karass was stopped by Marcos Rene Maidana. He was a forgotten hope looking for redemption in the welterweight division, and with one incredible win, Soto Karass got it, and sent Andre Berto’s career to the cleaners in the process. The once promising career of Berto, now 28-3, 22 knockouts, Winter Haven, Florida, has hit the rocks as he now lost three of his last four fights, and has been unsuccessful trying to win back the NABF belt he held 2007-2008, and the WBC World title belt he held from 2008-2010.
Three time Mexican National Champion Gold medalist Andy ‘The Destroyer’ Ruiz Jr. of Imperial, California, by way of Mexicali, Baja California, disposed of pretender Joe ‘The Future’ Hanks of Newark, New Jersey, by fourth round knockout at Cotai Arena at the Venetian Resort in Macao, China. Ruiz Jr., now 20-0, 14 knockouts, is a brutal hard hitter when he gets inside and connects like a super heavyweight. Hanks, now 21-1, 14 knockouts, had his padded record exposed. Hanks incredible ‘record’ includes a first round stoppage win over age forty something 48 loss journeyman Marcus Rhode in 2012, the very same Marcus Rhode who Tommy ‘The Duke’ Morrison stopped in the first round in Morrison’s last bout in 1996.
Andy Ruiz Jr. Knocks Out Joe Hanks, Highlights of the Fourth Round on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVxiOigDnxU
Hanks was flat footed and slow against Ruiz. The 105-5 amateur record of Ruiz spoke for depth and experience far beyond that of Hanks, yet Hanks believed his size and strength could overwhelm Ruiz. Trouble is Ruiz may not look like much, but his hands have lightning speed and incredible power, and Hanks ate jab after jab and power shot after power shot for the first two rounds. Hanks landed some power shots on Ruiz in the third round, which surprisingly had no effect. Hanks kept trying. A left right combination put Hanks on his back. He beat the count at nine and a bit, but was disoriented. A Ruiz overhand right to the back of the head ended the contest as Hanks headed face first to the canvas knocked out.
Soto Karass Knocks Out Andre Berto
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