Jake Donovan of BoxingScene.com reports that the Floyd-style random drug testing that Andre Berto's promoter Lou DiBella said a couple of months ago would have to be part of a rematch between Berto and Victor Ortiz was not in the contract for the fight, but Golden Boy's Richard Schaefer says they have no issue doing it if necessary:
"That was not part of the deal," stated Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, who promotes Ortiz. ... "If they want to do it, we’ll do it," Schaefer insists. "There’s no issue at all."
Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KO) and Berto (28-1, 22 KO) will meet on either January 28 or February 11, live on Showtime, rather than HBO.
[ Related: Showtime Buys Ortiz vs Berto Rematch ]
As for a possible venue, Schaefer has mentioned the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. There's really no perfect city for the fight, so if Vegas wants to pay for it, it's hard to blame the promoters. Berto has no draw power anywhere, and Ortiz isn't a house-filler either. Vegas makes as much sense as anywhere for this one. It's not a cheap fight.
But on the drug testing topic, don't expect it to happen. I mean, it definitely could, and I really don't think either side has any issue with it, but keep in mind that DiBella brought that up before the fight was ever really considered, back when it was, "Where will Victor Ortiz go now? Rematch with Floyd? Rematch with Berto?" Lou just got his and his fighter's names into the conversation with some headlines. If it does happen, it's no surprise, but it's also no surprise if it doesn't.