Mayweather-Ortiz Would Be Fine If Pacquiao Wasn't Out There...LOTIERZO

Written by Frank Lotierzo

Wednesday, 08 June 2011 16:09

BertoOrtiz_Hogan28 Lotierzo makes a good point. The mental pressure on Ortiz, who has heard from critics that his head isn't screwed on as straight as it should be for a championship caliber fighter, will be immense as we count down to Sept. 17. (Hogan)

Well, as if everyone didn't know that the announcement was going to come eventually, the "Fire-starter" has announced he's back and will return to the ring this coming September 17th. Yes, Floyd Mayweather 41-0 (25) is the "Fire-starter" because every time he says or does something pertaining to boxing it ignites a raging fire in the form of a debate that rages and builds until the night of the bout and doesn't subside until a couple weeks after it. And then everyone tries to guess or calculate what his next move will be - and we're usually wrong. The only thing we're never wrong about is there will be an angle in play whether it's the opponent or the conditions or terms of the bout that will weigh heavily in Mayweather's favor.

However, this time Mayweather really cannot be excoriated for his choice of fighting 24 year old Victor Ortiz 29-2-2 (22), since he's chosen not to fight Manny Pacquiao. Ortiz, at least based on his last fight versus WBC welterweight title-holder Andre Berto, looked like the young and ferocious southpaw he's been promoted as being since his pro debut. Against Berto, the aggressive Ortiz appeared to have dynamite in his right hand and more than adequate pop in his left. Ortiz also isn't a fighter on his last legs nor is be a blown up junior lightweight like Juan Manuel Marquez was/is. And Victor was in great shape against Berto and fought a complete fight from bell-to-bell. He also didn't fold or succumb when he was met with some stern resistance. During points where Berto was trying to seize and establish control of the fight, Ortiz actually dug down and re-established control and went on to win by a comfortable margin on all three judges' scorecards.

Let's be honest, Ortiz isn't a stiff and he has every reason in the world to give it everything he has to try and be the first fighter to take Mayweather down. And the fact that Mayweather isn't a big puncher shouldn't awe him or psyche him out. The thing that most of us don't like about the fight, and granted, that's not a reason for anyone to say the fight shouldn't take place, is the fact that no one believes Ortiz has the experience to really test Mayweather on the big stage with the boxing world watching. Ortiz will be pulled in ways he's never imagined in the run up to this fight, not to mention that from a style vantage-point he'll be very susceptible to Mayweather's sharp shooting and pot-shooting one-twos along with being vulnerable to Mayweather's speed and defensive prowess. And as much as we'd like to believe the mental demons of past ghosts in the form of Marcos Maidana and Lamont Peterson are gone forever regarding Ortiz, we know that can't be said for sure. Remember, after dominating Berto for five rounds, Ortiz was hurt and went down in the sixth and looked as if he was about to come undone and lose the fight. Had he not scored with desperate left to Berto's chin and dropped him late in the round, who knows how that fight would've unfolded during the second half of it. That said, Ortiz did what he had to do and pulled the fight out by winning big down the stretch and earned himself a crack at the "Fire-starter."

As for Mayweather, we knew he wasn't going to retire and had to find an opponent to face who could be sold to the boxing public who wasn't named Manny Pacquiao, and Victor Ortiz fits the bill. In fact he is a bigger threat and a more live underdog than the corpse of Shane Mosley who Mayweather fought last year and who Pacquiao fought last month. The biggest fault fans have with this fight is, no one gives Ortiz much, if any, of a chance to score the upset over Mayweather.

See, there's only one fighter out there who is Mayweather's size who he could fight where the fans would be split 50-50 on who would win. And that's why even though this would be an acceptable fight for Mayweather to take if there wasn't a Manny Pacquiao challenging him at every turn, there is a Manny Pacquiao out there. And Floyd has turned a deaf ear to it and continues to tease and tantalize the boxing world as to whether or not he will or won't fight Pacquiao.

Here's a prediction: I believe Mayweather will fight Pacquiao if and when he thinks it's safe. When the day finally arrives and Mayweather agrees to fight Manny, it will be because he's convinced the dynamics have changed and he's certain he'll prevail. He's not quite ready to risk or chance it yet. In the meantime he'll hope for Pacquiao to lose so he can claim a default victory over him by saying, "I woulda beat the fighter who beat Pacquiao." Therefore he would've beat Manny had they fought. In closing, I will say it again, if Mayweather and Pacquiao were to fight sometime before the end of this year, I would pick Mayweather to win by decision.

Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com

Comment on this article

Radam G says:

Money May's head is not screw on right either, nowadays. He suffered a lot of emotional, psychological and physical damage in his bout with Sugar Shane Mosley. One or two shots can affect a fighter's whole career, so all you know-nothing haters shut da double fudge up! GOAT Ali barely got a lot of punishment from opponents, but the small amount that he suffered from Ken "Jaw Breaker" Norton and Ernie "Acorn Noggin" Shaver is the real cause of his boxing demise. About four really stiff, hard punches that Sugar Shane Mosley hit Money May has fudged up the pretty boy's game. Just wait and see. He will have a very unsteady time with Vicious Victor and may just lose that bout. I'd not be surprised. Boxing is the "Threatre of the unexpected" and a lot hidden jive that fanfaronades will never know about.

Money May has been acting strange lately because of a certain amount of damage that the Sugarman put on him. This will show up in the Ortiz's dance come September. And you heard it here FIRST. Holla!

ali says:

@Radam G ... Mayweather had been hurt way before he got in the ring with Mosley...Corley, Zab, and how did he respond like a champ ever time he's been hurt....And in those fights where he was hurt instead of taking a few rounds off to clear his head he was the one pressing the fight... He suffered a lot of emotional, psychological and physical damage.... What in the hell are you talking about?!!!!!!

nashingun says:

why cant floyd fight pacquiao? isnt he the MONEY MAY that all thats important is money money money? but why isnt he up to $65M fight? *sigh... coward indeed.

nashingun says:

floyd did took those damages, but mind you, he never really put the fight on mosley or zab. he just went defensive to protect himself from another blow to the head. thats why he cant face pacquiao cos pacquiao is a very different fighter and he most like not be able to handle the small asian. if mosley's got power, pac have a devastating storm of punches. one way or another floyd will fall to the canvas the first time in his life and that will change his whole career! floyd will never be the same when he face pacquiao thats why even a $65M purse isnt enough fgr him he might as well take a lesser southpaw ortiz to convince himself he can handle a southpaw. such an insecure loser floyd is. loses his balls just hearing pacquiaos name.

Radam G says:

Ali, wow! You are kind of slow. But outta dat ugly mug, you love to blow. But syet, you don't know! Your comprehension is so very low. Apparently you cannot understand my post. Then, again, you cannot understand most. Just move on. You remind me of a sad song. Holla!

Matthew says:

I agree. Mayweather has finally decided to take on a dangerous, in-his-prime fighter at welterweight (I give Floyd credit for dismantling Mosley last year, but no one in their right mind would claim that Mosley was in his prime). I think Ortiz is rightfully a significant underdog, but also a live dog. He could present some problems with his size and southpaw stance, at least early on. It will be interesting to see if Mayweather has lost any of his speed and reflexes after a 16 month layoff. Maybe what Freddie Roach says is true, that this could be Floyd's way of getting ready for Pacquaio. That remains to be seen. If they fight in the next year, my pick is still Mayweather by decision.

ali says:

He suffered a lot of emotional, psychological and physical damage in his bout with Sugar Shane Mosley. I explain how it didn't in my eyes...Thats all I was responding to in the post you wrote...I guess when I make a great point and you and can't respond back with one got to call me names ...Grow up!!!!!

Radam G says:

Grow UP!!! C'mon! You definitely need to. Quit getting paranoid. Edit your post before letting it hit. I don't know what you are trying to say half the time. You drop more words than a non-native speaker -- ME! You sometimes write like English is not your first language. I don't think that I'm the only one who cannot understand your broken turkey-jive talk. Holla!

ali says:

Sensitive!!!! Im in school now working on my english so try to bare with me lol.... Its funny how you say you can't understand anything that I post cause half the time I can't understand anything that you post ....But anyway im done responding to your outrageous post here on TSS...ONE.

Radam G says:

It is all good, ali! You have a brain-eyeballs disconnection when it come to your's truly, because of your great efforts to delimit me into thinkin' and sinkin' your way. Ain't tryin' to catch no turkey jive. Just give me a high five. Holla!

the Roast says:

Finally the fight is over! Now hug it out bitches!!!

dino da vinci says:

@Ali, @Radam. Two of the University of The Sweet Science's finest. But you ain't actin' like it. Soooo, you are forcing us to review. Both of you repeat after me: As long as we can agree that we can disagree agreeably, everything will be fine.

Again, please remember that when this site was in design many years ago, it was with the hopeful intent to attract the brighter, sharper, truly astute boxing fan. We didn't care to then, and we certainly don't wish to draw the maniacs that land in some of the other boxing forums. (You know, the guys who couldn't spell cat, even if you spotted them the C-A) Do not, repeat do not head there. Both of you have had some absolutely great insights over the years. Make your point, clarify your opinion, move on to the next topic. Lastly, I've always felt a lot of the name-calling lends itself to a diversionary tactic. So my question is: Is your opinion of World Champion caliber, contender caliber, or pretender caliber? Always show respect, bring your A game, and I promise you'll get a kick out of the who's who that reads this site but doesn't post. Maybe we'll do it as a guest host type thing. But when the name calling starts, who with any sense would want to lend themselves to that? And so you know, that was the main reason for this forum concept. The old format where anyone could log in under (and hide behind...how cowardly!) any name they wanted, including well established posters, wouldn't, in the long term, fly. Now play nice. Capisce?

the Roast says:

Well said Dino!

dino da vinci says:

Thank you Mr. Roast. Mr. G?

the Roast says:

@ Dino, you need not be so formal my brother. You can even drop the the and call me Roast. All the cool kids do.

ali says:

finally the fight is over! Now hug it out bitches!!!

lmao!!!!

ali says:

@dino da vici...I feel you homie!!! Yeah I caught myself taking our disagreement way to far....Time to move on. Besides who out jives Radam G on TSS very few if any.

Radam G says:

Ain't huggin!' I reminded of what happened to me in Chi-Town back in da day when I was a hotshot 14-year teenager fibbin' about my age and beat down this old Chicagian about 26 years old in a Diamond Belt Tournament. After the tournament was over, he was wishing me all the best for the future, so we got on our huggin,' and my wallet dat sucka was muggin.' WTF! $450 later, I've never seen him again, neither will I forget his name, or da sucka's dirty game. Wow! Dude's name was Ali Thompson. TRUE STORY. Holla!

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