Floyd Mayweather schools Victor Ortiz
LAS VEGAS, Nev.–Protect yourself at all times.
Those are the last words typically uttered by a referee before the start of a fight and the first thing any novice that walks into the gym is taught about pugilism. Unfortunately Victor Ortiz forgot that lesson on Saturday night at the MGM Grand against Floyd Mayweather in the fourth round, resulting in a brutal KO and the loss of his WBC welterweight title.
Boxing is not soccer, where a team will often kick the ball out of bounds rather than press their advantage when an opponent is hurt (even when they are faking). As has been observed many times, boxing is the only sport you don’t play. It is a bloodsport. Fighters can walk into the ring in one condition and leave permanently damaged, especially at this level. Asking a fighter to overlook his opponent’s mental lapse, however well-meaning, is like asking them to ignore the fact their foe drops his right when he jabs. It goes against every instinct they have.
That’s why we’re firmly in the camp that considers Floyd’s decision to drop Ortiz after a brief hug justifiable, if not gentlemanly. Yes, smacking Ortiz with a one-two combination right after the two had just touched gloves was not the most admirable way to win this fight. But considering the win likely means at least another $100 million for Money Mayweather, we can’t really blame him. This is boxing, not tennis or golf. You don’t act against your own interests in the name of sportsmanship.
Besides, it’s not as if Ortiz had been a paragon of virtue leading up to the stoppage. The only reason he felt the need to apologize to Mayweather inside the ring was an intentional headbutt delivered to Floyd’s jaw at the end of a combination in the corner. To his credit, referee Joe Cortez stepped in immediately to deduct a point. But Cortez was too lax when the action resumed and Floyd was crafty enough to tag Ortiz with a left hook followed by a straight right that seemed to land in slow motion.
After the first punch Ortiz looked at Cortez as if to complain rather than raising his hands, which means he pretty much got what was coming to him in the form of the punch that ended his night. Victor was down and unable to beat the count, though thankfully afterward he seemed OK.
As much as we would have liked to see more of what had been a thrilling contest, Floyd was clearly on his way to his 42nd win. His right hand became increasingly acquainted with Ortiz’s face over the first four rounds and Victor’s attempts to bullrush inside in response were mostly unsuccessful, though they delighted the crowd. Floyd stayed true to his promise to stand and engage; it would be tough to accuse either man of being less than entertaining on this evening.
Whether this win puts Floyd back on top of the pound-for-pound heap is still in question but the drama and the palpable buzz in the arena afterward were both further evidence that he remains the most compelling story in the sport. Afterward Mayweather and HBO announcer Larry Merchant engaged in some heated words that we were mostly unable to hear, though we did hear Larry suggest he would be happy to fight Floyd himself if he were 50 years younger.
We have nothing but the highest regard for HBO, but Larry Merchant continuously crosses the line of professionalism and seems to believe he is more important than the fighters. We know traditionally that anyone who sticks around boxing long enough is supposed to be revered, but this is just the latest is a series of similar exchanges involving fight writers trying to make themselves the story. Apparently sportswriters aren’t taught the basic rules of journalism the rest of us follow, like objectivity and discretion.
A hectic late afternoon and the search for a missing ticket delayed our arrival to the show but we made it in time to see Carson Jones put the finishing touches on his beatdown of Said Ouali. The fight was stopped after the 7th on the advice of the ringside physician. In an excellent PPV opener Mayweather Promotions junior welterweight prospect Jesse Vargas stole a split decision from Josesito Lopez. The fight was close and featured frequent swings in momentum, but from where we sat Lopez was clearly the better man.
Mexican legend Erik “El Terrible” Morales garnered his fourth “world” title against late substitute Pablo Cesar Cano in a tougher than expected contest that was stopped after the 10th thanks to a nasty cut on Cano’s left eyelid. The younger man brought enough energy and self-belief to put the fight seriously in doubt early on, but Morales absorbed the youth’s punishment and responded in kind, taking control of the fight in the middle rounds. Morales remains a fan favorite and a true warrior but one wonders what the impact of all this punishment will be down the road, particularly if he is forced to defend the 140-lb belt against the likes of Amir Khan or Brandon Rios.