BORGES: Merchant’s Questioning of Floyd Was Out of Line

Published

14 years ago

September 22, 2011

Ron Borges

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Floyd Mayweather brings upon himself many of his own problems, a fact boxing fans were reminded of Saturday night not when he landed two legal punches to knock out a billy goat named Victor Ortiz but when he got into a dust-up with HBO’s Larry Merchant that became a YouTube favorite until HBO began hollering about copyright infringement.

By now you all know the third time was the charm for the 24-year-old Ortiz, who at least twice tried to head butt Mayweather before finally successfully leaping into his face and busting up his mouth and lip barely 30 seconds after referee Joe Cortez pointed to his forehead and warned him, ‘Watch your head! Watch your head!’’

Instead Ortiz used it as a battering ram late in the fourth round of a fight he was losing badly, launching himself into Mayweather’s face with the crown of his head in a way that would have gotten him a $50,000 fine and a suspension from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Cortez took a point away for a deliberate act of mayhem after Ortiz finished profusely apologizing and kissing Mayweather on the cheek. Ortiz tried to continue that charade of remorse after Cortez clearly said, “Let’s go!’’ and then clapped his hands together between the combatants, the universal sign that the armistice was over and they were back at war.

Cortez then looked at the timekeeper, not noticing Ortiz again reach out toward Mayweather as if to embrace him. Mayweather extended his arms, his hands touching Ortiz and then suddenly rocked back and nailed him with a left hook and right hand that knocked him senseless. Although you can argue that it wasn’t sporting, it was completely within the rules and within the proper boundaries of the sport. They were, in other words, legal blows not, as Merchant later termed them, “legal sucker punches.’’

If one went to Twitter, the social media website, hundreds of boxers tweeted defenses of Mayweather, including former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, who was always known for his gentlemanly manner yet unloaded on a defenseless Oliver McCall when his hands were at his side and tears were streaming down his face in the midst of a heavyweight title fight.

The heavily pro-Ortiz crowd at the MGM Grand Garden Arena booed lustily as Cortez counted the stunned and lifeless Ortiz out at 2:59 of the round and just after that the enmity Mayweather seems to engender whether he deserves it or not spilled over into the post-fight interview by Merchant.

Merchant asked Mayweather to explain his action and he did, pointing out that he “got hit with a dirty shot’’ and reminding viewers of the oldest boxing axiom there is: “Protect yourself at all times.’’

It was then that Merchant’s distaste for Mayweather seemed to reveal itself when he said, “Even though it appeared he wasn’t protecting himself…you unfairly took advantage of it.’’

It was not a question. It was a statement. A statement that ignored both the rules and the conventions of the sport and minimized the clearly illegal and repetitive efforts Ortiz made to butt Mayweather. At that juncture Mayweather instructed Merchant to go interview Ortiz and then laced into him with an expletive-laden, disrespectful tirade, calling for his firing and surrendering what might have been the high ground had he simply walked away.

Merchant then lost it like Ortiz had when he was under assault from Mayweather, snapping that, “If I was 50 years younger I’d kick your ass.’’
Mayweather’s rudeness toward the 80-year-old Merchant does not ameliorate the way the latter handled those interviews. He seemed argumentative toward a fighter who was fouled and apologetic toward the perpetrator of the crime that caused the fight to degenerate into what it became.

When Merchant turned to Ortiz he gave him none of the same kind of pointed grilling. He asked him to describe what happened after first pointing out to him the roar of the partisan crowd.

Merchant asked “Was it your fault?’’ and Ortiz replied, “Absolutely not. I obeyed exactly as I was told.’’

Clearly he had not because Cortez A) told him to watch his head only seconds before he used it and B) said “Let’s go!’’ and clapped his hands together before stepping away from the fighters, a clear sign the time for apology had ended and the time to fight had recommenced.

Merchant did not call him on that. Instead he said, “You butted him. Was that just some reflex action?’’

In a court room Mayweather’s attorney would have jumped up and said, “Leading the witness!’’ and any judge worth his salt would have said, “Objection sustained.’’

According to Merchant, the guy who got butted in the face and then punched his assailant after the referee signaled the fight was back on “…unfairly took advantage’’ while Ortiz was an innocent overwhelmed by his emotions. Some people don’t believe in global warming either.

When I spoke with Merchant the next day he said he had seen no other butts by Ortiz, only “rough housing inside,’’ and pointed out that no one on the broadcast team made any mention of Ortiz using his head illegally prior to the butt he was penalized for. Merchant claimed it had resulted from “in my mind, the heat of the moment. In that melee he lost it a little bit. I don’t think it was premeditated. I’m not disputing it was intentional but it was in a moment of emotion.’’

If it was in a moment of emotion how come he was warned less than a minute earlier to stop illegally using his head, a warning Merchant rightly pointed out the entire HBO broadcast team missed even though you could see it and hear Cortez say it? How many “moments of emotion’’ do you get before they’re not emotion but rather premeditation?

Merchant conceded this week that “Mayweather had the right to do what he did but that doesn’t make it right. It was uncalled for whether within the rules or not. There is a line where there’s bad sportsmanship.’’

Indeed so, and Victor Ortiz crossed it. What Mayweather did was what every fighter I’ve spoken to since said they would have done. He did his job. The referee said “Let’s go!’’ He went. Soon after so did Ortiz.

What was most troubling is that it appeared to me Merchant, rather than simply asking questions to get two sides of the story, was accusatory toward the victim while trying to aid the perpetrator’s escape from responsibility. He denied this. Watch the tape and you decide.

At one point during our conversation, Merchant cited his recollection of Lewis’ refusal to hit McCall when his arms were at his sides while in the midst of what appeared to be a nervous breakdown as an example of what Mayweather should have done. Again, go look at the fight on YouTube. What you find is Lewis hitting McCall warily but repeatedly with right hands, including a stinging right uppercut and right-left combination not unlike the one Mayweather used to stop Ortiz just before referee Mills Lane stopped the fight.

Was the weeping McCall clearly defenseless that night? Yes. Did referee Mills Lane ask him if he wanted to fight and did McCall twice shake his head no? Yes. Did the fight proceed? Yes. Did Lewis hit him repeatedly thereafter? Indeed he did.

Merchant claimed he asked questions only to “try and get their side of the story and let the public decide. That’s what I would have done with Mayweather but before I could he went off so that changed that custom of mine.

“In this case before I could pose the questions I got personally and professionally attacked. Maybe I should have been a little more rigorous on Ortiz but he looked like he didn’t know what the hell was going on.’’
Since the broadcast, Merchant has been widely defended, with many heaping praise on him for calling Mayweather out over his rudeness and abusive language. Floyd Mayweather was indeed out of line in the way he spoke to Merchant but the tone and tenor of Merchant’s questioning was just as unfair and out of line.

Whether Floyd Mayweather “unfairly took advantage’’ of Victor Ortiz or not, Larry Merchant’s one-sided questioning of the two of them did the same to Floyd Mayweather.

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Ron Borges

Canelo Alvarez Upends Dancing Machine William Scull in Saudi Arabia

Published

14 hours ago

May 3, 2025

Arne K. Lang

Canelo-Alvarez-Upends-Dancing-Machine-William-Scull-in-Saudi-Arabia

Saul “Canelo” Alvarez, who has acquired a new nickname – “The Face of Boxing” – is accustomed to fighting on Cinco De Mayo weekend, but this year was different. For the first time, Canelo was fighting outside the continent of North America and entering the ring at an awkward hour. His match with William Scull started at 6:30 on a Sunday morning in Riyadh.

In the opposite corner was 32-year-old William Scull, an undefeated (23-0) Cuban by way of Germany, whose performance was better suited to “Dancing With the Stars” than to a world title fight. Constantly bouncing from side to side but rarely letting his hands go, Scull frustrated Canelo who found it near-impossible to corner him, but one can’t win a fight solely on defense and the Mexican superstar was returned the rightful winner in a bout that was a fitting cap to a desultory two days of Saudi-promoted prizefighting. The scores were 115-113, 116-112, and 119-109. In winning, Canelo became a fully unified super middleweight champion twice over.

Terence Crawford was in attendance and HE Turki Alalshikh made it official: Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) and Canelo (63-2-2, 39 KOs) will meet in the Fight of the Century (Alalshikh’s words) on Sept. 12 in Las Vegas at the home of the city’s NFL team, the Raiders. For whatever it’s worth, each of Canelo’s last seven fights has gone the full 12 rounds.

Semi-wind-up

In a match between the WBC world cruiserweight title-holder and the WBC world cruiserweight “champion in recess” (don’t ask), the former, Badou Jack, brought some clarity to the diadem by winning a narrow decision over Noel Mikaelian. One of the judges had it a draw (114-114), but the others gave the fight to “Jack the Ripper” by 115-113 scores.

A devout Muslim who is now a full-time resident of Saudi Arabia, the Sweden-born Jack, a three-division title-holder, had the crowd in his corner. Now 41 years old, he advanced his record to 29-3-3 (17). It was the first pro loss for Mikaelian (27-1), a Florida-based Armenian who was subbing for Ryan Rozicki.

The distracted CompuBox operator credited Mikaelian with throwing 300 more punches but there was no controversy.

Tijuana’s Jaime Munguia, a former junior middleweight title-holder, avenged his shocking loss to Bruno Sarace with a unanimous 12-round decision in their rematch. This was Munguia’s first fight with Eddy Reynoso in his corner. The scores were 117-111 and 116-112 twice.

Surace’s one-punch knockout of Munguia in mid-December in Tijuana was the runaway pick for the 2014 Upset of the Year. Heading in, Munguia was 44-1 with his lone defeat coming at the hands of Canelo Alvarez. Munguia had won every round against Surace before the roof fell in on him.

Surace won a few rounds tonight, but Munguia was the busier fighter and landed the cleaner shots. It was the first pro loss for Surace (26-1-2) and ended his 23-fight winning streak. The Frenchman hails for Marseilles.

Heavyweights

In a 10-round heavyweight match fought at a glacial pace, Martin Bakole (21-2-1) and Efe Ajagba (20-1-1) fought to a draw. One of the judges favored Ajagba 96-94 but he was outvoted by his cohorts who each had it 95-95.

Bakole, a 7/2 favorite, came in at 299 pounds, 15 more than he carried in his signature win over Jared Anderson, and looked sluggish. He was e=never able to effectively close off the ring against the elusive Ajagba who fought off his back foot and failed to build on his early lead.

The fight between the Scotch-Congolese campaigner Bakole and his Nigerian-American foe was informally contested for the heavyweight championship of Africa. That “title” remains vacant.

In a 6-rounder, heavy-handed Cuban light heavyweight Brayon Leon, a stablemate of Canelo Alvarez, was extended the distance for the first time while advancing his record to 7-0 at the expense of Mexico’s Aaron Roche (11-4-1). Leon knocked Roch to the canvas in the fourth round with a right-left combination, but the Mexican stayed the course while eating a lot of hard punches.

Photo credit: Leigh Dawney / Queensberry Promotions

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Rolly Romero Upsets Ryan Garcia in the Finale of a Times Square Tripleheader

Published

2 days ago

May 2, 2025

David A. Avila

Rolly Romero Upsets Ryan Garcia in the Finale of a Times Square Tripleheader

Disappointment.

Those bright lights on Times Square proved too much for some but not for Rolly Romero who soaked it up, floored Ryan Garcia early, then cruised to victory on the public streets of Manhattan on Friday.

Romero (17-2, 13 KOs) rode into the prize ring in a vintage Chevy Impala against Garcia (24-2, 23 KOs) and his flashy Batmobile on the streets of Manhattan and walked away victorious.

Simple as one-two-three.

Though both fighters pack tremendous power it was the lightning speed of Garcia that transfixed most and many felt that speed would prevail. It did not.

Instead, Romero caught Garcia inside with his own left hook followed quickly with another hook and down went the Southern Californian in the second round. But just like in previous instances Garcia quickly got up.

Romero tried to end the fight but was caught with a Garcia left hook and you could visibly see the changes in attitude. Romero re-thought his strategy and took the safer approach of making it a slow-moving exchange of feints, jabs and touches from distance.

For the next 10 rounds the crowd first sat on the edge of their seat then slowly sank back realizing that self-preservation had overtaken both fighters.

Though there were moments of possible shock, awe and explosion, it never came. After 12 rounds two judges scored it 115-112, and another 118-109 for Romero.

“Knockdowns always help the fighter,” said Romero.

Garcia was gracious in defeat.

“Rolly fought a good fight and did a good job,” said Garcia. “Hats off to Rolly.”

Haney Wins

Las Vegas fighter Devin Haney (32-0, 15 KOs) defeated Central California’s Jose Carlos Ramirez (29-3, 18 KOs) in a fight with few punches exchanged but plenty of side-to-side movement to win by unanimous decision.

For most fans, watching dirt turn to mud would have been more exciting.

If Haney’s goal was to win the fight and remain undefeated, he succeeded. If he was seeking to entertain fans and prove he is one of the best welterweights in the world?

It was a failure.

Still, Haney evaded exchanges for more than two minutes out of every round. Ramirez, knowing that chasing with abandon could lead to traps could not close the distance.

Haney did get caught a few times and proved any shock residual from his last fight against Ryan Garcia a year ago was a none-issue. Ramirez was also caught by a few uppercuts and survived.

Though very little meaningful punches were landed by either fighter, the judges chose Haney 119-109 twice and 118-110.

Teofimo Wins

Fighting in front of hometown fans, Teofimo Lopez (22-1, 13 KOs) gave Arnold Barboza (32-1) his first defeat.

But it was never easy.

It was like watching a magician at work as Lopez led viewers, commentators and TV judges to think he was overwhelming Barboza with his left hand. Meanwhile the actual fight was happening in a far different dimension.

Jim Lampley, the golden voice of TV commentating for decades, returned but he needs a crack group to lead him toward the proper direction. In this instance he was told Lopez was winning every round.

He was not.

Every time Lopez tried to bamboozle his foe, he was met with a body shot, jab or some other deterrent. Every round was contested scientifically with precise steps, counter steps and touches.

Lopez was quickly swollen by the blows landed by Barboza, yet the Californian did not show as much. Lopez was indeed connecting too.

It was a brilliant display of scientific boxing that the commentating crew failed to convey to the viewers. At one point, I simply turned off the sound.

Few blows landed flush. A right cross that beat Lopez to the punch in the sixth round was perhaps the best. A slick three-punch combination by Lopez in the seventh round was poetry.

Neither fighter was able to take over the fight.

Lopez moved around every round never staying in the same spot. Barboza maintained his balance and composure and seldom gave Lopez easy pickings. After 12 rounds of scientific boxing all three judges scored in favor of Lopez 116-112 twice and 118-109.

“Never quit in anything you want to do,” said Lopez.

On another note, the new commentating team for DAZN needs better side support for Lampley.

Overall, the Ring Magazine fight card was all razzle but no dazzle.

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 324: Ryan Garcia Leads Three Days in May Battles

Published

3 days ago

May 1, 2025

David A. Avila

Avila Perspective, Chap. 324: Ryan Garcia Leads Three Days in May Battles

They’re fighting on the streets of New York again.

Times Square.

Ryan “King Ry” Garcia leads six of the best crack shots in boxing under 30 in New York City on Friday, May 2. It begins a three-day event that moves to Saudi Arabia on Saturday then Las Vegas on Sunday. Three targets.

A number of the best promoters in the sport of boxing are combining forces for “Ring Magazine’s Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves.”

Time Square is target one.

Fresh off a one-year suspension, Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) brings his brand of speed and power against Rollie Romero (16-2, 13 KOs), who is no shrinking petunia when it comes to power. They meet in the main event.

Ever since Garcia took off the amateur head gear, he’s shown almost inhuman explosive power and speed. Though his destruction of Devin Haney last year was overturned by the New York Athletic Commission, what viewers saw cannot be erased.

“His dad likes to talk a lot,” said Garcia of Haney. “that’s what got his son beat the first time.”

Now he faces Romero, whose years ago sparring superiority caused a furor when it happened. But sparring and fighting are distinctly different. Now there will be millions watching and future earnings at stake.

“This fight was destined to happen. I called it. I knew it was gonna be at 147 pounds and be one of the biggest fights in boxing history,” said Romero, a two-division champion.

Then, you have Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) who got his loss in the ring removed by the commission but now faces former two-time champion Jose Carlos Ramirez (29-2, 18 KOs) in a welterweight showdown. It’s a compelling match.

“Styles make fights. He does a lot of good things and a lot of bad things in there. It’s my job to go in there and handicap him of the good things he does and exploit the bad things,” said Haney of Ramirez.

Ramirez recently lost his last match and has a history of problems making weight. This fight will not be at 140 pounds, but five pounds heavier.

“I owe it to myself to show up and move up into a bigger weight class. I think that’s going to do wonders for me,” Ramirez said. ““I’m preparing for the best Devin Haney. That’s the guy I want to beat. I want that challenge.”

A super lightweight battle between New York’s Teofimo Lopez (21-1, 13 KOs) and California’s Arnold Barboza (32-0, 11 KOs) might be a Rubik’s Cube battle or a blast of nitro. Both are highly skilled and master craftsmen in a prize ring.

“We’re going to go out there and do what I have to do. I’m going to have fun and beat the brick out of this boy,” said Lopez, one of the local fighters who now lives and trains on the West Coast.

Barboza, a Los Angeles native, has knocked off several top contenders in remaining undefeated.

“This is the toughest opponent of my career,” said Barboza, who bested England’s Jack Catterall and fellow Californian Jose Carlos Ramirez. “I’m gonna punch him in the mouth and see what happens.”

Six of the best American fighters under 30 are slugging it out on Times Square. It probably hasn’t been done since Boss Tweed.

Day Two: Riyadh

Super middleweight champions Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (62-2-2, 39 KOs) and William Scull (23-0, 9 KOs) meet on Saturday, May 3, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. It’s an extension of Ring Magazine’s event on Friday and presented by Riyadh Season. DAZN will stream the event on pay-per-view.

Another world title match pits Badou Jack (28-3-3, 17 KOs) versus Norair Mikaeljan (27-2 12 KOs) for the WBC cruiser world title.

Also, a return match between Mexico’s Jaime Munguia (44-2, 35 KOs) and France’s Bruno Surace (26-0-2, 5 KOs) in a super middleweight fight.

Day Three: Las Vegas

Immensely talented Naoya “Monster” Inoue of Japan returns to Las Vegas to showcase his fighting skills to an American audience.

It’s been nearly four years since Inoue appeared in Las Vegas and demonstrated why many experts and fans call him the best fighter pound for pound on the planet. The best.

“I’m excited about everything,” said Inoue about the opportunity to fight in front of an American audience once again.

Inoue (29-0, 26 KOs) defends the undisputed super bantamweight championship against a little-known banger from San Antonio, Texas named Ramon “Dinamita” Cardenas (26-1, 14 KOs). ESPN will televise the Top Rank and Teiken Promotions fight card.

Don’t dismiss Cardenas casually. He is co-promoted by Sampson Lewkowicz who knows a thing or two about signing little known sluggers such as Manny Pacquiao, Marcos Maidana and female undisputed champ Gabriela Fundora.

Cardenas trains with brothers Joel and Antonio Diaz in Indio, California and rumor has it has been cracking on the Uzbeks who are pretty rough and tumble.

Of course, the Monster is another matter.

Inoue has fought many of the best smaller weight fighters such as Luis Nery, Stephen Fulton and the great Nonito Donaire and swept them aside with his combination of speed, power and skill.

“I’m always going for the knockout,” Inoue said.

Cardenas always goes for the knockout too.

Two bangers in Las Vegas. That’s what prizefighting is all about.

“I hope to enjoy the whole atmosphere and the fight,” said Inoue. Also, it’s my first time fighting in the T-Mobile Arena.”

Co-Feature

WBO featherweight champion Rafael Espinoza (26-0, 22 KOs) of Mexico defends against Edward Vazquez (17-2, 4 KOs) of Texas. This will be Espinoza’s third defense of the world title.

Espinoza could be Inoue’s next opponent if the Japanese legend decides to move up another weight division.

Also on the fight card will be Emiliano Vargas, Ra’eese Aleem and others.

Fights to Watch (all times Pacific Time)

Fri. DAZN ppv 2 p.m. Ryan Garcia (24-1) vs Rolando Romero (16-2); Devin Haney (31-1) vs Jose Carlos Ramirez (29-2); Teofimo Lopez (21-1) vs Arnold Barboza (32-0).

Sat. DAZN ppv 2:45 p.m. Saul Alvarez (62-2-2) vs William Scull (23-0); Badou Jack (28-3-3) vs Norair Mikeljan (27-2); Jaime Munguia (44-2) vs Bruno Surace (26-0-2).

Sun. ESPN 7 p.m. Naoya Inoue (29-0) vs Ramon Cardenas (26-1); Rafael Espinoza (26-0) vs Edward Vazquez (17-2); Ra’eese Aleem (21-1) vs Rudy Garcia (13-1-1).

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