By John F. McKenna (McJack): Photo credit: Sumio Yamada – When World Boxing Council (WBC) welterweight champion Victor Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KO’s) takes on defensive genius Floyd Mayweather Jr. (41-0, 25 KO’s) Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas does he have a real chance of victory?
When “Money” Mayweather signed to fight Ortiz he had already watched him defeat Andre Berto in an exciting fight that saw both Ortiz and Berto floored twice. It was thought by many that Mayweather, who attended the brawl, was scouting for a potential future opponent. Oritz, who was an underdog in the Berto fight, unexpectedly won the match. Victor exhibited power and almost limitless energy against Berto during the entire match.
Prior to the Berto fight Ortiz had received a considerable amount of criticism after he quit against the power punching Argentinean Marcos Maidauna in the 6th round of their slugfest in June 2009. Since losing to Maidana the 24 year old Ortiz put together a string of four victories and a draw against Lamont Peterson. He culminated his new lease on life with the win over Berto.
The loss to Maidana may have been the spark the youthful Ortiz needed to get his career back on track. Victor who is still only 24 years old, redoubled his efforts and against Andre Berto he lived up to his nickname of “Vicious”.
One of the chief concerns when analyzing Victor’s chances against the defensive genius that is Floyd Mayweather is that Floyd already did his own analysis before deciding to fight him. To say that Maywather is protective of his “41-0” record would be an understatement. He does not fall into the trap of allowing promoters to decide who and when he is going to fight. During their tumultuous relationship Floyd Mayweather and Top Rank CEO Bob Arum were often at loggerheads. One bone of contention before their acrimonious split in 2006 was Arum’s desire to match Mayweather with Antonio Margarito. Mayweather’s reasoning in part is who better to analyze his future opponents than Floyd himself?
It is a given that Mayweather would not have selected Ortiz as an opponent unless he was convinced that he could beat him. That is not to say that Victor does not have a have a chance to defeat Floyd. Victor proved in his April win over Andre Berto that he has the heart of lion, a heart that he did not find until after the loss to Marcos Maidana in June 2009.
What Ortiz needs to do to upset the heavily favored Mayweather is apply constant, unrelenting pressure in the manner of a latter day Jack Dempsey. Floyd will be a tough nut to crack. He did not achieve his hard earned reputation overnight and he will fight valiantly to protect it. Mayweahter realizes that Ortiz is 10 years his junior and a powerhouse to boot. Ortiz must use his power and superior strength in an attempt to overwhelm Floyd. He will have to bull his way inside and eat some leather in the process. Once inside he needs to go to the body in the early rounds in hopes of slowing Floyd down. If “Vicious” catches Floyd with a power shot and hurts him, unlike Shane Mosley he must seize the initiative and go for broke.
Above all else Ortiz cannot become frustrated at Mayweather’s defensive maneuvering.
Floyd will make an effort to exploit Victor’s youth and inexperience and attempt to get inside his head.
One of the imponderables regarding Floyd is after sixteen months of inactivity does he still have the legs to go twelve hard rounds against an opponent who is trying to take his head off? Sparring in the gym is not the same as being in a real honest to goodness fight.
Many questions will be answered at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
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