Victor Ortiz Versus Andre Berto Round Six: A Lesson In Gameness

Welterweights Victor Ortiz and Andre Berto put it down on Saturday night for the WBC title. It was the kind of fight where you catch yourself yelling at the TV, then step back and marvel that you're yelling at the TV while watching boxing, which gives you flashbacks to when you used to do that sort of thing regularly. More than any other, the sixth round made Ortiz a champion.

A little background: the southpaw Ortiz moved up a division for this fight. He looked ferocious fighting closer to his natural weight. Heading into round six, both men had already been knocked down once, but Ortiz was overwhelming the undefeated Berto, a slick speedy puncher who can close the show with one good counter right. And you knew it was coming. Given Ortiz's go-for-broke style, a Berto laser was destined to land. The anticipation of sudden drama makes boxing suspenseful. What makes boxing great is how a fighter responds when the narrative suddenly changes. See above.