“Vicious” Victor Ortiz (31-5-2, 24 KOs) and Andre “The Beast” Berto (30-4, 23 KOs) will meet again in a 12-round welterweight rematch in primetime on Saturday, April 30 as Premier Boxing Champions (PBC) on FOX comes to StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.
Televised coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET and features light heavyweight sluggers Edwin “La Bomba” Rodriguez (28-1, 19 KOs) and Thomas “Top Dog” Williams Jr. (19-1, 13 KOs) in a 10-round brawl plus Fernando “Cochulito” Montiel (54-5-2, 39 KOs) faces unbeaten Mexican brawler Jorge Lara (27-0-2, 19 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight battle.
Ortiz and Berto first faced off in their 2011 welterweight world title barnburner that garnered significant Fight of the Year buzz. The bout saw both men hit the canvas twice, including a thrilling round six in which each fighter was knocked down. In the end, Ortiz walked away with a unanimous decision. A victory in the rematch will propel the winner to the forefront of the world title picture in this stacked with talent division.
“I know I’m in for another war,” said Ortiz. “I’ve always been open to a rematch because Berto has a big mouth and something to prove. After our fight, he went on a losing streak, because I gave his opponents a blueprint on how to beat him. My losses have been unfortunate, but I wouldn’t want to come up against me at this stage in the game. My name is Victor and that’s no coincidence.”
“This is the fight the people have been waiting for and it’s time to give it to them,” said Berto. “I am in a good place mentally, physically and spiritually. I’ve never wanted my story to be perfect, that’s boring. Life is filled with ups and downs and I’ve embraced them all in my career. Everything I’ve been through has turned me into a savage. It’s time to close this chapter once and for all. I want his head!”
The undercard bouts are sure to feature exciting two-way action as the experienced veterans Rodriguez and Montiel look to hold-off rising contenders in Williams Jr. and Lara.
“This is a very big fight for the light heavyweight division,” said Rodriguez. “Thomas brings it, but so do I. You can expect fireworks from the opening bell as we are both looking to put on a sensational performance. That being said, the light heavyweight championship is right around the corner, and there is nothing that is going to stop me from getting there.”
“I’m thrilled to be fighting on this card,” Williams said. “When they called me about this fight, I said, ‘I love it, let’s make it happen.’ I think that it’s going to be a really exciting and fan-friendly matchup. Edwin is a strong fighter who I know is going to be prepared to bring it on fight night, and I’ll make sure I’m ready to do the same.”
“It’s a pleasure to be on this fight card and I promise an exciting night for the fans,” said Montiel. “I came up short in my last fight, but I am determined to become a world champion in a new weight class. I always come to fight and I will be throwing punches non-stop until I’m victorious on April 30.”
“I’m blessed to be back in the ring as part of this great night of fights,” said Lara. “My dream is to be a world champion, and to do that I have to beat fighters like Montiel. I respect my opponent, but right now he is on my way and nothing is going to stop me.”
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by TGB Promotions, are priced at $209, $105, $53, and $27, plus applicable taxes, fees and service charges, are on sale now and are available for purchase online at AXS.com.
PBC on FOX in primetime debuted on January 23 and featured a thrilling three-fight card that was topped by undefeated star Danny Garcia conquering former world champion Robert Guerrero to claim a welterweight world title in a back-and-forth brawl. Another exciting contest in the welterweight division is sure to thrill those watching at home and the Southern California boxing fans in attendance.
“We are proud to be bringing this long awaited rematch to the StubHub Center and the Los Angeles boxing fans,” said Tom Brown of TGB Promotions. “Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto battled back in 2011, and their meeting on April 30 will take care of unfinished business.”
“After the overwhelming success of the return to boxing on FOX in January, after an almost 20 year absence, FOX Sports and FOX Deportes are thrilled to present the second Premier Boxing Champions fight on April 30,” said David Nathanson, FOX Sports Head of Business Operations.
“StubHub Center is excited to host this welterweight bout on Saturday, April 30,” said Katie Pandolfo, General Manager of StubHub Center. “We look forward to an exciting rematch and an electric atmosphere at the premier outdoor boxing venue in the United States.”
An exciting fighter who never shies away from action, Ortiz returned to the ring in December 2015 one year after injuring his hand during a third round stoppage of Manuel Perez. The 29-year-old stopped Gilberto Sanchez Leon in his last bout for his second victory in a row. Ortiz was a 147-pound world champion when he defeated Berto in 2011 to set up a showdown with Floyd Mayweather. The Kansas-native has spent time in recent years to film roles in movies such as “Southpaw” and “The Expendables 3” but is now fully focused on a return to the pinnacle of the welterweight division.
Berto is a former amateur standout and Olympian for his native Haiti. He challenged now-retired pound-for-pound king Floyd Mayweather in September. The offensive-minded Berto always makes for sensational scraps as his 2012 slugfest with Robert Guerrero was another Fight of the Year candidate. The 32-year-old thrilled in his PBC debut last March when he stopped Josesito Lopez in the sixth round of their welterweight showdown.
An accomplished amateur who won a 2006 National Golden Gloves gold medal and a 2005 U.S. National Championship gold medal, the 30-year-old Rodriguez enters this fight a winner of his last four fights. Born in the Dominican Republic but fighting out of Worcester, Massachusetts, Rodriguez’s only loss came to the undefeated Andre Ward in 2013. He owns impressive victories over previously unbeaten fighters Will Rosinsky, Jason Escalera, Ezequiel Osvaldo Maderna, Craig Baker and Michael Seals. Against Seals, in his most recent bout on November 13, Edwin rose from the canvas to score a devastating third-round TKO in what was a ‘Fight of the Year’ candidate.
Williams Jr., a 28-year-old from Fort Washington, Maryland, was introduced to boxing by his father, a former pro fighter. A dynamite puncher, Williams Jr. has registered seven of his 13 knockouts in the first round. However, the southpaw has also proven his endurance with unanimous decision victories over warriors like Michael Gbenga, Yusaf Mack and Otis Griffin. Most recently he earned two victories, including a second-round TKO over world-ranked contender Umberto Savigne last November.
The veteran Montiel won his first world title in 2000 over Isidro Garcia and went on to have title winning performances over Pedro Alzacar, Ivan Hernandez, Z Gorres, Ciso Morales and Hozumi Hasegawa. Born in Sinaloa, Mexico, Montiel rode an eight-fight win streak heading into his October world title shot against Lee Selby. Montiel’s aggressive style frustrated Selby but it was not enough for him to grab a title in his fourth weight class.
Undefeated out of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, Lara made his U.S. debut on March 7, 2015 with a first round stoppage of Mario Macias in Las Vegas. The 25-year-old has ended seven of his last nine opponents early including experienced contenders Jovanny Soto, Jairo Hernandez and Oscar Ibarra. He looks to rebound from a technical draw in his last outing after the fight was stopped in six rounds due to numerous cuts Lara had received from accidental headbutts.
