Rumor: Andre Berto-Freddy Hernandez on Nov. 27

The newest rumor for an Andre Berto fight on November 27 is coming from "multiple sources in Mexico" (via BoxingScene.com), and the rumor is that Berto would fight Freddy Hernandez in Las Vegas, part of an HBO triple-header headlined by Juan Manuel Marquez v. Michael Katsidis.

The 31-year-old Hernandez (29-1, 20 KO) is tall at 5'10" and lanky enough to be nicknamed "The Rail." His KO record looks good, but most of those stoppages came against nobodies. In his last two bouts, both on ShoBox for some reason, Hernandez has stopped DeMarcus Corley and Mike Anchondo, who are both well past their peaks and aren't welterweights to begin with.

Berto (26-0, 20 KO) is basically in desperation mode if he truly hopes to land an opponent and fight again before 2010 is over. He fought once this year in April, overcoming a shoulder injury to stop Carlos Quintana in the eighth round. We've already been over it a million times, but before anyone wets their pants over Berto taking a non-challenge against Hernandez if that fight does happen, look at the welterweight division and find someone truly better, someone a legitimate class or two above Hernandez, someone who's available before the end of the year. There's really nobody. Selcuk Aydin isn't much better an opponent to begin with, and he's seemingly disinterested in fighting Berto anywhere besides Turkey, where he received what many felt was a gift decision in his last fight against Ionut Dan Ion.

Berto and promoter Lou DiBella are flat-out low on options. The names discussed to this point have been 140-pound contender Andriy Kotelnik and Aydin. Hernandez isn't as good as Kotelnik, but he is a legitimate welterweight. I've got the feeling we're not going to see Andre Berto back in the ring this year, but a fight with Hernandez would be what it is, and that's a stay-busy fight to keep Berto from gathering any more rust.