PBC on Spike Quick Picks

Andre Berto vs. Josesito Lopez: This Friday will mark the first Premiere Boxing Champions card on Spike.  The card will be headlined by warriors Andre Berto (29-3, 22 KO) and Josesito Lopez (33-6, 19 KO) and they are scheduled to go 12 rounds in the welterweight division.  The fight may not be getting a ton of publicity but it could very well end up being the 2015 Fight of the Year when all is said and done.  The reason for that is because Berto and Lopez are both action fighters who would walk through hell for a victory.  Berto is probably best known for being the guy who was always one number away from winning the Floyd Mayweather lottery.  Berto looked like the favorite to fight Mayweather in 2011 but he lost to Victor Ortiz who ended up getting the fight.  Then the same thing happened in 2012 when Berto lost to Robert Guerrero who then went on to fight Mayweather.  Now after putting together a recent record of 2-3 Berto is in need of a win to resurrect his career.  Berto is an orthodox fighter with quick hands and a good jab.  He loves to fight on the inside and has a nice short left hook he finds success with.  Berto is skilled with both hands however and he also has a nice straight right hand and a good uppercut.  The problem for Berto is his defense, he doesn't use his feet very well and typically takes a lot of punishment.  Lopez is another fighter who usually takes a lot of punishment and who likes to fight at close range.  Lopez is an orthodox fighter who lacks a quality jab.  What Lopez does have is a nice left hook and a pretty nice straight right hand, but like it is for Berto, defense is his big problem.  This should be a great back and forth fight that has fans standing and cheering for long portions of it.  Lopez will be game, as he always is but his heart won't be enough and Berto will win this fight by the way of split decision. 


Shawn Porter vs. Erick Bone: The other fight on the first ever PBC card on Spike could also be a very good one, or at least it was supposed to be.  This fight was originally  between Shawn Porter (24-1-1, 15 KO) and Roberto Garcia (36-3, 23 KO) but that scrap has been canceled.  Garcia failed to make weight and was reportedly so overweight that he didn't even bother to show up for the weigh-ins.  This is a very unprofessional move especially since Spike put together an hour long documentary featuring all four fighters scheduled to appear on Friday's card.  Now Porter will take on Erick Bone (16-1, 8 KO) in a 10 round welterweight bout.  Porter made a big name for himself in recent years by beating Devon Alexander and demolishing Paulie Malignaggi but lost his most recent fight against Kell Brook.  Porter is an orthodox boxer-puncher who does his best work on the inside.  He is somewhat of an awkward fighter and tends to leap in with his punches.  Porter's athleticism is a good weapon as is his left hook he digs to the body.  Porter also has a nice jab and a heavy overhand right but he can get a little wild at times.  As for the new edition Bone, he is an orthodox fighter with quick hands and a nice jab.  The young fighter from Ecuador also has a wild overhand right but his best punch is his short left hook.  The problem for Bone is that he is taking this fight on very short notice and he has never faced anyone nearly as talented as Porter.  Bone could give a good showing of himself but this fight will be all Porter and he will get the unanimous decision victory.