Premier Boxing Champions on Fox ‘Ortiz vs. Berto’ Results & Play-by-Play

Fernando Montiel vs. Jorge Lara

Round 1

The featherweights come out hard and Lara is immediately throwing bombs. Montiel is cracked hard by a flurry and falls into the ropes and down. He rocked badly and he’s allowed to continue. Lara swarms him and digs furious shots to the head and body. A cupping left to the head drops him again. He is up and Lara is in Terminator mode, dropping him again with a lead right. The fight goes on and Lara turns out the former multiple-time champ with a cannon of a right to the head. Montiel is out cold, face first on the canvas. Huge knockout to start things out. The torch has officially been passed.

The Official Result

Jorge Lara def. Fernando Montiel via KO at 1:37 of Round 1

Edwin Rodriguez vs. Thomas Williams Jr.

Round 1

Wayne Hedgpeth is the referee for this light heavyweight battle; the winner slated to get a crack at Adonis Stevenson later in the year. They trade a few jabs early, Rodriguez is slightly more aggressive. A right to the head stiffens Edwin briefly but he recovers quickly. They engage in the center of the ring before Williams cracks him with a hard right uppercut on the inside. A clubbing left to the gut from the Maryland fighter, but Rodriguez counters him with a pair of punches to the dome. These dudes are swinging for the fences and gunning for the knockout with a minute left but Williams seems to have more power. Another right upstairs rocks Rodriguez again, forcing a clinch. Williams misses a few rights but he follows it up with a stinging left hook. Edwin covers up and looks foggy near the bell. 10-9 Williams.

Round 2

Rodriguez touches his foe with a few jabs to the body but there’s nothing on them yet. After Williams tags him, the Dominican native storms back with a sharp left to the melon. They trade some serious leather in the center of the ring, each landing and taking some heavy blows. A nasty right to mouth rocks Williams along the ropes. Another. Williams answers with a right of his own. They go toe-to-toe with reckless abandon, gunning for the kill. They slow down a little with a minute left to catch their collective breath but still, each blow has knockout written all over it. A huge right followed by a left hook floors Rodriguez. He is in bad shape and struggles to his feet, fumbling with his mouthpiece. He can barely stand up and Hedgpeth waives it off. What a terrific war this was. Spectacular knockout for Williams.

The Official Result

Thomas Williams Jr. def. Edwin Rodriguez via TKO at 2:59 of Round 2

Victor Ortiz vs. Andre Berto

Round 1

Jack Reiss is the referee for this welterweight main event. They move cautiously around the ring, tossing out jabs from a distance. Neither man has taken the lead a minute in as the feeling out process continues. The crowd is already restless thanks to the terrific brawls that preceded this one. They continue to paw with their jabs, not taking any chances at this point. They come together and there is a clash of heads. Ortiz is cut on his forehead but it doesn’t look too dangerous, though he is bleeding pretty badly. The round ends with almost nothing happening. Too close to call. 10-10

Round 2

Ortiz comes out and pops out several jabs immediately. A nice straight left to the head by the Kansan, but Berto takes it easily. Another nice left upstairs by Ortiz and Berto answers with a flurry. After a brief exchange, they tie each other up. Now they are letting their hands fly, looking to end things right now. Ortiz sticks a few jabs into Andre’s gut, but Berto misses with a counter left hook. Ortiz leaps in with a lead left but it glances off his foe’s head. A straight left to the mouth drops Berto onto the seat of his trunks. He’s not hurt and he gets up quickly, frustrated. 10-8 Ortiz

Round 3

Ortiz is active early behind his jab while Berto still struggles to get loose. A sharp jab to the belly by Victor. Berto is stiff, perplexed by Ortiz’ movement and jab. Berto tags him with a decent right to the melon after the left, but Ortiz walks through it. Ortiz swats his foe with another straight left to the mouth and then backs off. The blood is starting to flow again from Victor’s cut with about 35 seconds left in the frame. Berto just misses with a nasty left hook. Berto has a better round but it’s not enough to win it. 10-9 Ortiz

Round 4

Berto slams a brutal right uppercut on the inside and Ortiz is down. He climbs to his feet and is in deep trouble. Berto closes in and swarms him, gunning for the knockout. Ortiz is extremely shaky and backs into the ropes and Berto tees off on him. Ortiz swallows a few more shots and Ortiz slumps to the canvas. He is basically out and barely struggles to his feet at the count of nine. Reiss asks him twice if he wants to continue but Ortiz is staring off into space, prompting the veteran third man to call it off.

The Official Result

Andre Berto def. Victor Ortiz via TKO at 1:14 of Round 4