They fought once, in 2003 in the Quarterfinals of the world amateur championships, at welterweight. Barker was ahead by 7 points total entering the last round but ended up losing by a pair with the final score of 24-22, and feels he got robbed. (Berto would be eliminated in the semifinals by the great Lorenzo Aragón, settling for bronze after having sent Barker home empty-handed...) Any video of this anywhere?
Yes. I'm very curious to watch the Berto vs. Barker footage, actually. Looking back, I think it may have been among the last times Berto fought someone like Mayweather in terms of being a) orthodox b) with an educated jab and c) decent boxing skill and d) with that much reach. (Barker has 73", Mayweather 72") Berto has fought lots of sluggers, and lots of southpaws - but not many of the pure boxers he fought were orthodox...and of the few that were, none were very rangy. Steve Forbes is probably the best right-handed pure boxer he faced and Berto had a reach advantage over 2lb.
