Mayweather Did To Ortiz What Many Other Greats Would’ve Done…LOTIERZO

Published

13 years ago

September 27, 2011

MayweatherOrtiz_Hogan16 It’s been a little over a week since WBC welterweight title-holder Floyd Mayweather 42-0 (26) stopped former title-holder Victor Ortiz 29-3-2 (22) at the end of the fourth round. And from the moment Mayweather dropped and stopped Ortiz with a perfectly placed left-hook and right cross to the chin, there’s been much written about Joe Cortez’s ineptness as a referee and Mayweather’s unsportsmanlike behavior during the bout.

Let’s get Cortez out of the way first – yes, he clearly was out of position and did a horrible job governing the fight at the end. But that had no effect on the result, that blame goes to Victor Ortiz. Did Victor really think he could try to headbutt Mayweather and then try to make friends with him and perhaps suck him into falling for his own bending of the rules conduct later in the fight? As we saw Ortiz learned the hard way because Mayweather was too experienced and smart to be bettered by Ortiz at that game.

It’s been agonizing hearing and reading the cookbook analyst banter back and forth saying what Mayweather should’ve done or what they would’ve done in that situation. As most know this column has not treaded lightly when it comes to objective criticism and critique of Floyd Mayweather the fighter. But I can’t, nor should anyone else yell fire when there isn’t a whiff of smoke in the air just so they can jump on Mayweather because they don’t like him.

During the past week it’s been written a thousand times how the first thing fighters are taught when they go into the gym is “protect yourself at all time.” Yeah, in a perfect world that sounds great, but it’s not true, simply because a fighter coming into the gym for the first time is so far away from fighting that it’s not even a thought. That aside, it is repeated by the referee before all fights in the dressing room and at ring center before the start of the bout. Actually, it’s the last thing a fighter hears before the bout. However, that doesn’t matter for this discussion because the focal point is more centered around whether or not Mayweather did anything wrong or illegal – to which the answer is, no!

Some have referred to the left-hook and right hand that Mayweather stopped Ortiz with as a sucker punch. But only if you allow yourself to get suckered. More importantly it was also legal and many past all-time greats would’ve done exactly the same thing Floyd did in that spot. The object in fighting is to win, and that means by whatever it takes to do so within the rules. If a fighter gets a free shot at his opponent and the opponent is too distracted to protect himself from being so vulnerable, you better believe nine out of ten times he’s getting clocked. In a fight there are many unknowns and if a shrewd fighter like Mayweather can end it before he gets cut or head-butted a second time, you better believe he’s going to take his shot and go home with the win. Once Ortiz touched Mayweather’s gloves after Cortez deducted a point from him for his attempted head-butt, it was on and shame on Ortiz for being a dope. Could you see Mayweather being caught like that if the situation were reversed? Not in a million years would Mayweather leave himself at the mercy of his opponent.

Professional fighting isn’t war, but it’s also not about making friends or giving an opponent a break once the bell rings. If fighter A could hit fighter B low three times a round and not be disqualified or penalized, you better believe he would, with his thought being it’ll take something out of his opponent and give him an edge later in the fight. Some of those reading this are probably huge fans of Sugar Ray Robinson, Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Marvin Hagler, Bernard Hopkins, Michael Spinks, Jack Dempsey, Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis. So I ask, how many fighters did they ever give a break to? And could you really see them not doing the same thing Mayweather did in the same situation? I can’t. Every fighter mentioned did whatever they could to incapacitate their opponent as fast as they could within the rules so they could get out of the ring uninjured and with the “W”. They just weren’t as lucky as Mayweather was in as far as having an opponent in front of them in a big fight who left themself so wide open to get whacked so cleanly the way Victor Ortiz did.

When world class fighters get in the ring, so much is riding on the outcome and it’s so dangerous and hard to win at that level, it’s takes a rare breed of man who won’t seize on every opening his opponent gives him. Knowing the way Floyd Mayweather approaches boxing and with so much riding on the outcome when he fights, how could he not nail Ortiz with two clean finishing punches after Ortiz tried to head-butt him? Once Victor tried to butt him during the fight, Floyd became a little fearful because that never happened to him before. It made him view Ortiz in a completely different way and he then realized that Victor was going to do whatever it took in order to give him his first defeat.

Personally, I believe even if Ortiz hadn’t tried to butt Mayweather, Floyd still would’ve cut loose with the left-hook right hand combo that he knocked him out with in that spot. However, once Victor escalated his presence during the fight, if there was a chance that Mayweather was going to let him off the hook, that was gone. And that’s because Floyd Mayweather is a real fighter and doesn’t have any dog in him. When he’s in the ring he’s all about winning, and if you scare him or try to intimidate him, he won’t try and make friends with you, instead he’ll try to legally cut your throat, something that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has followed his career.

At the end of the day, Mayweather scored an impressive knockout and lives on to fight another day for millions of dollars, regardless of who the opponent is. Sure, there’s plenty to rip Mayweather the fighter about. Obviously he’s picked his spots and hasn’t met the best available opposition when they were there to fight him and at or near their prime. His insistence on making Manny Pacquiao submit to Olympic style drug testing before they fight is just a ruse and a means to gain an edge in the ring on fight night. Floyd’s been an even greater manager in some aspects than he is a fighter. So there’s plenty that Floyd Mayweather the fighter/boxer can be called on, but his conduct during his bout with Victor Ortiz last week shouldn’t be on the list. He won the fight fair and within the rules and in a manner that many past idols and greats would’ve.

Many of the beloved greats from the past weren’t altar boys in the ring when they fought and neither is Floyd Mayweather. The fact that he was brazen enough to take the free shots that Ortiz gave him showed me a little something more about his character as a fighter. Remember, there was some risk in doing that. What if Ortiz didn’t blink and turned to him after the right hand crashed against his jaw and said, “now what Floyd”? However, that thought never crossed Mayweather’s mind because he was intent on getting Ortiz out of there and would’ve just hit him again.

Professional fighters don’t win by being nice guys and making friends with their opponents in the ring. Unfortunately for Victor Ortiz, he thought by buddying up to Mayweather he could con Floyd into not embarrassing him later on during the fight. And to Mayweather’s credit, he saw right through that subterfuge and put him away the first chance he got, legally and justifiably. Just as Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and countless other all-time greats would’ve done.

Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com

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Frank Lotierzo

Japanese Superstar Naoya Inoue is Headed to Vegas after KOing e Joon Kim

Published

2 mins ago

January 24, 2025

Arne K. Lang

Japanese-Superstar-Naoya-Inoue-is-Headed-to-Vegas-after-KOing-Y-Joon-Kim

Japan’s magnificent Naoya Inoue, appearing in his twenty-fourth title fight, scored his 11^th straight stoppage tonight while successfully defending his unified super bantamweight title, advancing his record to 29-0 (26 KOs) at the expense of Ye Joon Kim. The match at Tokyo’s Ariake Arena came to an end at the 2:25 mark of round four when U.S. referee Mark Nelson tolled “10” over the brave but overmatched Korean.

Kim, raised in a Seoul orphanage, had a few good moments, but the “Monster” found his rhythm in the third round, leaving Kim with a purplish welt under his left eye. In the next frame, he brought the match to a conclusion, staggering the Korean with a left and then finishing matters with an overhand right that put Kim on the seat of his pants, dazed and wincing in pain.

Kim, who brought a 21-2-2 record, took the fight on 10 days’ notice, replacing Australia’s Sam Goodman who suffered an eye injury in sparring that never healed properly, forcing him to withdraw twice.

Co-promoter Bob Arum, who was in the building, announced that Inoue’s next fight would happen in Las Vegas in the Spring. Speculation centers on Mexico City’s Alan Picasso (31-0-1, 17 KOs) who is ranked #1 by the WBC. However, there’s also speculation that the 31-year-old Inoue may move up to featherweight and seek to win a title in a fifth weight class, in which case a potential opponent is the winner of the Feb. 2 match between Brandon Figueroa and Stephen Fulton. In “olden days,” this notion would have been dismissed as the Japanese superstar and Figueroa/Fulton have different promoters, but the arrival of Turki Alalshikh, the sport’s Daddy Warbucks, has changed the dynamic. Tonight, Naoya Inoue made his first start as a brand ambassador for Riyadh Season.

Simmering on the backburner is a megafight with countryman Junto Nakatani, an easy fight to make as Arum has ties to both. However, the powers-that-be would prefer more “marination.”

Inoue has appeared twice in Las Vegas, scoring a seventh-round stoppage of Jason Moloney in October of 2020 at the MGM Bubble and a third-round stoppage of Michael Dasmarinas at the Virgin Hotels in June of 2021.

Semi-wind-up

In a 12-round bout for a regional welterweight title, Jin Sasaki improved to 19-1-1 (17) with a unanimous decision over Shoki Sakai (29-15-3). The scores were 118-110, 117-111, and 116-112.

Also

In a bout in which both contestants were on the canvas, Toshiki Shimomachi (20-1-3) edged out Misaki Hirano (11-2), winning a majority decision. A 28-year-old Osaka southpaw with a fan-friendly style, the lanky Shimomachi, unbeaten in his last 22 starts, competes as a super bantamweight. A match with Inoue may be in his future.

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Eric Priest Wins Handily on Thursday’s Golden Boy card at the Commerce Casino

Published

6 hours ago

January 24, 2025

David A. Avila

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Model turned fighter Eric Priest jabbed and jolted his way into the super middleweight rankings with a shutout decision win over veteran Tyler Howard on Thursday.

In his first main event Priest (15-0, 8 KOs) proved ready for contender status by defusing every attack Tennessee’s Howard (20-3, 11 KOs) could muster at Commerce Casino, the second fight in six days at the LA County venue.

All ticket monies collected on the Folden Boy Promotions card were contributed to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation as they battle wildfires sprouting all over Los Angeles County due to high winds.

Priest, 26, had never fought anyone near Howard’s caliber but used a ramrod jab to keep the veteran off-balance and unable to muster a forceful counter-attack. Round after round the Korean-American fighter pumped left jabs while circling his opposition.

Though hit with power shots, none seemed to faze Howard but his own blows were unable to put a dent in Priest. After 10 rounds of the same repetitive action all three judges scored the fight 100-90 for Priest who now wins a regional super middleweight title.

Priest also joins the top 15 rankings of the WBA organization.

In a fight between evenly matched middleweights, Jordan Panthen (11-0, 9 KOs) remained undefeated after 10 rounds versus DeAundre Pettus (12-4, 7 KOs). Though equally skilled, Panthen simply out-worked the South Caroliina fighter to win by unanimous decision. No knockdowns were scored.

Other Bouts

Grant Flores (8-0, 6 KOs) knocked out Costa Rica’s David Lobo Ramirez (17-4, 12 KOs) with two successive right uppercuts at 2:59 of the second round of the super welterweight fight.

Cayden Griffith (3-0, 3 KOs) used a left hook to the body to stop Mark Misiura at 1:43 of the second round in a super welterweight bout.

Jordan Fuentes (3-0) floored Brandon Badillo (0-3-1) in the third round and proceeded to win by decision after four rounds in a super bantamweight fight.

A super featherweight match saw Leonardo Sanchez (8-0) win by decision over Joseph Cruz Brown (10-12) after six rounds.

Photo credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 310: Japanese Superstar Naoya Inoue and More

Published

1 day ago

January 23, 2025

David A. Avila

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Many proclaim super bantamweight world champ Naoya Inoue to be the best fighter in the world today. It’s a serious debate among boxing pundits.

Is he Japan’s best fighter ever?

Inoue (28-0, 25 KOs) takes another step toward immortality when he meets Korea’s Ye Joon Kim (21-2-2, 13 KOs) on Friday Jan. 24, at Ariake Arena in Tokyo, Japan. ESPN+ will stream the Top Rank and Ohashi Promotions card.

Inoue defends the IBF, WBC, WBA and WBO world titles.

This is Inoue’s third defense of the undisputed super bantamweight division that he won when he defeated Philippines’ Marlon Tapales in December 2023.

Japan has always been a fighting nation, a country derived from a warrior culture like Mexico, England, Russia, Germany and a few others. Professional boxing has always thrived in Japan.

My first encounter with Japanese fighters took place in March 1968 at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. It was my first visit to the famous boxing venue, though my father had performed there during the 1950s. I was too young to attend any of his fights and then he retired.

The main event featured featherweights Jose Pimentel of Mexico against Sho Saijo of Japan. Both had fought a month earlier with the Mexican from Jalisco winning by split decision.

Pimentel was a friend of my female cousin and gave my father tickets to the fight. My family loved boxing as most Latino families worldwide do, including those in the USA. It’s a fact that most sports editors for newspapers and magazines fail to realize. Latinos love boxing.

We arrived late at the boxing venue located on Grand Avenue and 18th street. My father was in construction and needed to pick me up in East L.A. near Garfield High School. Fights were already underway when we arrived at the Olympic Auditorium.

It was a packed arena and our seats were fairly close to the boxing ring. As the fighters were introduced and descended to the ring, respectful applause greeted Saijo. He had nearly defeated Pimentel in their first clash a month earlier in this same venue. Los Angeles fans respect warriors. Saijo was a warrior.

Both fighters fought aggressively with skill. Every round it seemed Saijo got stronger and Pimentel got weaker. After 10 strong rounds of back-and-forth action, Saijo was declared the winner this time. Some fans booed but most agreed that the Japanese fighter was stronger on this day. And he was stronger still when they met a third time in 1969 when Saijo knocked out Pimentel in the second round for the featherweight world title.

That was my first time witnessing Japan versus Mexico. Over the decades, I’ve seen many clashes between these same two countries and always expect riveting battles from Japanese fighters.

I was in the audience in Cancun, Mexico when then WBC super featherweight titlist Takashi Miura clashed with Sergio Thompson for 12 rounds in intense heat in a covered bull ring. After that fight that saw three knockdowns between them, the champion, though victorious, was taken out on a stretcher due to dehydration.

There are so many others going back to Fighting Harada in the 1960s that won championships. And what about all the other Japanese fighters who never got the opportunity to fight for a world title due to the distance from America and Europe?

Its impossible to determine if Inoue is the greatest Japanese fighter ever. But without a doubt, he is the most famous. Publications worldwide include him on lists of the top three fighters Pound for Pound.

Few experts are familiar with Korea’s Kim, but expect a battle nonetheless. These two countries are rivals in Asian boxing.

Golden Boy at Commerce Casino

Middleweights Eric Priest and Tyler Howard lead a Golden Boy Promotions fight card on Thursday, Jan. 23, at Commerce Casino in Commerce, CA. DAZN will stream the boxing card.

All ticket money will go to the Los Angele Fire Department Foundation.

Kansas-based Priest (14-0, 8 KOs) meets Tennessee’s Tyler Howard (20-2, 11 KOs) in the main event in a match set for 10 rounds.

Others on the card are super welterweights Jordan Panthen (10-0) and Grant Flores (7-0) in separate bouts and super lightweight Cayden Griffith seeking a third consecutive win. Doors open at 5 p.m.

Diego Pacheco at Las Vegas

Super middleweight contender Diego Pacheco (22-0, 18 KOs) defends his regional titles against Steve Nelson (20-0, 16 KOs) at the Chelsea Theater at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Las Vegas on Saturday, Jan. 25. DAZN will stream the Matchroom Boxing card.

It’s not an easy fight for Pacheco.

“I’ve been fighting for six years as a professional and I’m 22-0 and I’m 23 years old. I feel I’m stepping into my prime now,” said Pacheco, who trains with Jose Benavidez.

Also on the card is Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz and Southern California’s dangerous super lightweight contender Ernesto Mercado in separate fights.

Fights to Watch (All times Pacific Time)

Thurs. DAZN 6 p.m. Eric Priest (14-0) vs Tyler Howard (20-2).

Fri. ESPN+ 1:15 a.m. Naoya Inoue (28-0) vs Ye Joon Kim (21-2-2).

Sat. DAZN 9:15 a.m. Dalton Smith (16-0) vs Walid Ouizza (19-2); Ellie Scotney (9-0) vs Mea Motu (20-0).

Sat. DAZN 5 p.m. Diego Pacheco (22-0) vs Steve Nelson (20-0).

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