It was an ugly fight. Too much holding. HBO, especially Max Kellerman made it sound like it was always Guerrerro holding but I saw it the other way.
THe HBO crew can be biased as hell. When the ref warned Berto about hitting behind the head, the crew acted as if they had no clue.
Guerrero often hit with his one hand free; it was sometimes unclear to see whether he or Berto was positioning the other hand. I think Berto often held thinking that the ref was going to separate them, especially when they were literally chest to chest and Guerrero wouldn't stop scoring with those punches to the side. It was a physical fight and he was confused as to what he was supposed to do against that kind of aggression. And I don't think HBO were overly biased, just pointing out the fact that Guerrero was reasonably but visibly rough, and Berto was the first to get a stern warning (though the punches were landing to the back of the head.)
Yeah, when Berto was hitting Guerrerro on the back of the head, HBO was like "What's wrong with that?" or something in that effect.
it was a really messy fight, other refs woulda been breakin it up every second but that ref decided to let it go but if anythin i think Guerrero was in the bad he was just lookin to stand in Berto's face and lean on his head with his were they even holdin that much?
Guerrero was the one coming in close most of the time, were he had a clear advantage and was trowing soft punches for scoring purpose only so that explains Berto holding.
I don't know about a clear advantage. He was getting popped with vicious uppercuts while in the clinch.
Clearly Guerrero wasn't taking as many and as powerful shots like he would have if they fought differently.
Loads of people being extremely bias here. Guerrero was initiating a lot of the dirty fighting to begin with. All the holding came from Guerrero. It's only in the later rounds when Berto was tired that he started doing a bit of holding. Oh and by the way, about Berto rabbit punching. That was in retaliation to Guerrero being dirty as the ref was doing anything to stop Guerrero's tricks. Good fight by the way and great win for Guerrero. Let's just stop all he coyness though, the ref was in favour of Guerrero and Berto exhibited rabbit punching in retaliation to Guerrero's holding, low blow and hitting after the ref said stop.
I think HBO saw what I and most saw. Guerrero being dirty, the ref doing nothing about it. Remember it was Berto always being scolded by the ref not Guerrero. So HBO reaction on the time was based on the ref not giving Berto any fair shake.