Respect Has Been AWOL, Will Be Present After Saturday's Fight...BORGES

Written by Ron Borges

Thursday, 15 September 2011 13:24

MayweatherMediaWorkout4Ortiz_Blevins23 LAS VEGAS – Respect, or the lack of it, seems often to be the subplot in the days and weeks leading up to a major prize fight. Wednesday was no different.

At the final press conference called to hype Saturday night’s WBC welterweight title fight between 24-year-old champion Victor Ortiz and undefeated 34-year-old challenger Floyd Mayweather, Jr., one was giving no respect and the other was acting offended about it. It is how it goes in a sport where it would seem one should be able to muster up a pretty fair amount of bile simply over the fact the other guy is coming to punch you in the face. That being the case, who cares if he does it respectfully or not?

But there is etiquette to all things, including legalized assault but young Ortiz, perhaps exhibiting the petulance of youth, was having none of it. To him there is nothing to respect about Floyd Mayweather, Jr., not even his resume. Or so he wanted to convince himself.

“I sense a little bit of nervousness over in this section,’’ Ortiz said from the podium as he looked in the direction of Mayweather and his supporters. “I’m going to teach you what it feels like to have that one (loss) on your record, bro.’’

Mayweather quickly reminded him he’d heard that from all of Ortiz’s 41 predecessors and not a one had made him experience the deep sense of shame and emptiness that can come from defeat. He reminded him that he had faced boxers, punchers, guys with bigger reputations than Ortiz and guys trying to make their reputation at Mayweather’s expense and always the result had been the same.

Ortiz looked at him for a moment after listening to Mayweather’s soliloquy and then snapped, “Forty-one of those weren’t me!’’

Good point but not a reaction either Mayweather or his chief aide and confidante, Leonard Ellerbee, cared to hear. To each of them there was a belief that when a fighter has won world titles in five different weight classes, grossed nearly $400 million in pay-per-view sales, twice been named Fighter of the Year and remains in the minds of many the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world attention must be paid and respect given.

Clearly the public Ortiz did not share that feeling.

“He ain’t s--t at 147,’’ Ortiz has said in response to such a notion, conceding that perhaps Mayweather was a great fighter at junior lightweight and lightweight but the move to 147 pounds has taken from him something hard to define, but Ortiz clearly believes – or at least hopes – has changed the dynamics for Mayweather.

“Saturday night I will hold my hands up (in victory),’’ Ortiz said to Mayweather. “I’m gonna put you on your asssss!’’

Mayweather looked at him the way a big brother does after his younger sibling has made a boast he cannot back up. He chastised Ortiz for not understanding the level he was about to ascend to, later claiming, “That press conference was as big as his fights have been.

“(Fighters) can talk all the trash they want but when they get face-to-face with me the skill level is different than they thought. It looks different from the outside than it looks on the inside.

“It’s different on this level. The young fighters just don’t understand. This level is totally different. This is all new to him. Saturday night is kill or be killed. Period. He may not respect me now but he will respect me after the fight.’’

Respect, like Floyd Mayweather, is an elusive thing. Fear is not respect. Often neither is wide-eyed adulation. Respect, like a great prize fighter, is cut from a different cloth.

It is something that cannot be given. It can only be earned. In boxing it most often comes after two fighters have taken the full measure of the other and that will not be done until late Saturday night. Only then, when Mayweather and Ortiz are alone with each other, four strands of rope separating them from civilized society, that the price will be paid to gain that respect.

Who pays it and how high the price will determine who wins the respect of whom.

Comment on this article

FighterforJC says:

Whether or not Ortiz pulls off the upset, he's right about Mayweather being unproven at 147. If anyone's nervous in this fight, it's got to be Mayweather. Yes, he's got the big fight experience and all the scalps but Mayweather knows better than anyone that he's geen avoiding the toughest welterweights and he has not tested himself against the elite welters. Ortiz is an "elite" mostly by default, but at least a young and hungry one at that. Ortiz to me is Floyd's first real test as a welterweight.

SALT_LOVER25 says:

The "Mayweather-ain't-nothing-at-147" is the same old song we've all been hear from boxers that can use only that to grasp any limited psychological advantage they could have vs Mayweather in the ring, and from the same anti-Mayweather "boxing fans" that simply want to see Floyd officially lose a fight. Mayweather "hasn't proved himself at 147lbs" to those who have been aching to see him lose for many years, and the broken record will stay play the same tune no matter what Floyd does and who he beats. And this includes the Filipino himself.

They just want to see him lose, plain and simple.

I remember a year and half ago they were partially defending Mosley (who destroyed Margarito and became the Welterweight Champion) yapping about how a year layoff affected him against Mayweather and such, and now all of a sudden almost nobody taken to account that Floyd is now coming back in the second largest inactivity in his career, at this point in his career, and taking on a young tiger who just dethroned a World Champion, and who has the power on both hands to end the fight at any moment; and not to mention a southpaw.

The same old song that lame rapper "Rugged Man" (I didn't even know who he was until Floyd's interview) used to bring a little light to his PR by publicly dissing Floyd on the radio saying "Why don't you fight 'Sugar' Shane, why you scared of him"?, before Floyd beat him.

Whatever, let them keep barking the same old song.

Well, maybe if Floyd loses, especially if he gets KO'ed, that will satisfy their long years of hunger and finally start cutting off the same ol' BS and start respecting the best boxer of this generation. Although I see an Ortiz upset very unlikely to happen, and even if Floyd KO's Ortiz, the same old song will continue to play.

The loud ghetto, ridiculous, fanfarronade, money-throwing persona gave Floyd tremendous boost to become the biggest PPV boxer after De la Hoya's departure, but it has severely damaged his boxing legacy in the eyes of those who simply cannot wait to see him lose anymore. But knowing how Floyd is, he couldn't care any less. Money is what it is, and that comes to a price.

Waiting for the prediction page.

FighterforJC says:

@Lover of Salty C***: Nobody cares about Mayweather's persona. So many others before him have done it much better, his act is not original. Its the fact that he has singlehandedly destroyed boxing by denying the fights fans want. Regardless of how you think Floyd would've done against the likes of Cotto, Margarito and Pacquiao, fact is he hasn't fought them. Those are the fighters that would've defined Mayweather's legacy, but that ship has sailed.

SALT_LOVER25 says:

And the insults [Lover of Salty C***] continue. The same old song by the same old reader who responds with the same male sexually driven manner.

One gives them a little push and they respond with their name calling, and their little cheap snotty shots. That shows just how one can easily get into their heads, and just how far ahead one is on a particular debate against them.

I'm not gonna waste my time with you,...........again. Enjoy the fight this Saturday.

Radam G says:

Wow! Talking about "name calling, and their little cheap, snotty, shots." Da HBP lover of salt is/was the arch-master of that jive. I guess some people just hate when the shoes and gloves fit, because then they cannot acquit, and will just keep lying about their bullsh*t! Holla!

brownsugar says:

Dang Salt,... like Morton when you rain you really pour it on... I might use some of those lines in my next poem on open mic nite...

Watched the weigh-in,.. intensity is there, I don't know how either of these guys can go to sleep tonight?... they're really ready to go.. I had serious doubts that Floyd would be up to the challenge. But the veteran looks trim and on-edge for this bout.. not sporting any extra muscle like he did when he fought Mosley. I thought he wasn't into it... just going thru the motions for another fat paycheck.... but during the last several weeks. Mayweather has really ramped it up. Ortiz is showing a few minor signs of stress but appears none the worse for the wear. If Ortiz can't get rid of Mayweather or at least soften him up severely early.. I don't know if he'll be able to handle the mental stress that'll be coming his way.

My son lives across the street and he's getting the fight... I'm getting it too.... so if I have to go home for some reason during the duration I wont miss a second of the action...
we'll be lighting our smokes with ten dollar bills and posting the vid on youtube if Mayweather wins... If Ortiz wins I'll be sending a donation to the Big Brothers foundation.

The key to winning this fight will go the fighter who stays mentally composed.

Really looking forward to the Vargas/Lopez match as well.

SALT_LOVER25 says:

@brownsugar,

Hahahahahahahahaha!! Man, you're excited about this fight as I am, brother! I love to see Floyd coming back, and against a World Champion coming off a huge Victory.

I'm going 100% with Floyd in this one. I think Floyd wants to impress and will go on the offensive mode through most part of the fight. The straight right hand will be key to finishing off Ortiz.

The Mexican-American dude has tremendous resources at his disposal to pull off an upset, but more importantly I think is knowing how to use your resources. It's not just having them, is knowing how to use them, I think that's the key difference in this fight. Ortiz is strong, and powerful and all that, but he doesn't know how to play this game.

Floyd, well, .....Floyd is Floyd, XD!!!!

Let's see what happens. Enjoy the fight, brah! See after it!

Condor says:

I think this is going to be a war. In the past with Floyd, one would predict a tactical battle, but something tells me there will be a lot of leather exchanged here. Floyd's at that age where it's hard to be elusive, and Ortiz looks ready for prime-time to me. Really looking forward to it. I'm either hitting Hooters, which has it nearby, or I'm ordering it at home.

Enjoy all.

amayseng says:

i dont see how this is not going to be a close fight... sure may is a phenom boxer who is sharp and defensive...but his offense is few and far between....ortiz can easily win 4 rounds through activity alone, barely landing anything cleanly but by just scoring and moving away with activity alone....

something shane could not do, be active, move or throw.. i think the layoff and fighting shane will be detrimental for mayweather, shane was gassed after 3 and it was a walk in the park for may....

ortizs last fight will help him, winning, then getting knocked down and getting right up with the same mentality is stability within his heart mind and soul.....

overcoming tragedy is helpful..

i dont see ortiz quitting anything ever again....

22 years old is young, and for a guy who always had in the back of his mind he was not worth enough for even both of his parents to stick around then it was easy to carry that and give up two years ago...

ortiz at 24 has regained his confidence and is spiritually driven....

hes better than letting his past bring him down like he was vulnerable to do at 22.

now he uses that past as determination and God bless him for it.

if may wins then he leaves the sport again for years....

who wants that?

as a true fan you should want ortiz to win as he will continue to fight and entertain us...

i can see floyd being in a lot of trouble this fight...

he is trying to hype himself up...

Radam G says:

I've spitted the following before. Let me do it once more. Posting syet that I didn't post; a lot of haters, fakers, busters and faders love to claim. Da suckas ain't got an iota of shame. Their arses are some lame. They luv to get on their BIG lie. Half tellin' da truth, they don't even try. And their sorry arses wouldn't be da apples of anybody's eye.

Money May's nuthuggers, groupies, fanfaronades and know-nothing suckas don't believe that he will ever fall. Well, again, here's my call. And I don't have to worry about that dumb-a$$, birdbrained, clone. Dat sucka's meddling ways and posting racist bullsh*t are on lockout and lone gone.

Money May is gonna be in an a$$-whuppin' night. I just wonder if the blind-a$$ Vegas judges will get the scoring right. The Mayweathers have short-fuse whup-a$$ genes. When Mayweathers get into their mid 30s, they fizzle out, and you can crush 'em jelly beans.

Picking this young, roaring, lion, Vicious Victor O, MM has made a boneheaded mistake. VVO is gonna be on MM's now arthritic, long-da-tooth arse like mocha frosting on chocolate cake. MM is going to feel like he's being crushed and stung by a vicious python snake. Up da WORLD, VVO is gonna shake! Karma knows. I guess that you have viewed one to many of HBO's -- Humbuggery Bullsh*t Operation's -- freak and side shows. But Money May still may be the victor and get a hometown-cook decision win, because Las Vegas is full of dishonest and feel-entitled sin. Why do you think that that bytch is known as "Sin City?" It is a ___ without pity! Holla!

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