By Dan Ambrose: Former WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz says he’s looking to become a world champion again. It’s been nine years since Ortiz (32-6-3, 25 KOs) briefly held the WBC welterweight title in 2011, and he’s been mostly downhill for him.
The 33-year-old Ortiz has fought only twice since 2016, and it’s going to be difficult for him to get back to the level he was at in 2011. That was when Ortiz was at his best. But even that version of Ortiz might not be good enough to beat the current top-level welterweights.
Ortiz needs to speed things up with his career
The southpaw Ortiz can still punch, and he has excellent hand speed, but he’s not been able to put it all together when facing better opposition. Ortiz is trained now by Freddie Roach, and he’s hoping he can take him to the top.
It’s been two years since Ortiz last fought against former two-division world champion Devon Alexander in February 2018. Alexander is someone that Ortiz should have been able to beat if he had the talent still to mix it at the world level.
If Ortiz wants to make the most out of the time he has left in boxing, then he should try and fight three to four times per year.
Ortiz has a reputation in the eyes of some boxing fans as being a quitter. In Ortiz’s fights against the following fighters, he seemed to come unglued mentally when the going got tough:
- Marcos Maidana
- Floyd Mayweather Jr.
- Luis Collazo
- Andre Berto
- Josesito Lopez
Ortiz: I’m NOT done
“My worst competitor is myself. I’ve been my worst critic. I’ve gotten in the way of me,” said Ortiz on social media. “Do you know what? I’m finally done. And I’m here to be champion, and I’m here to reign once again. I’m not done until I say so.
I am not done. Far from it. For the time being, I have done acting. I love it, but not right now. When I’m older and can’t throw a jab. When my brain tells my arms, let it go, and I can’t, then it’s time to go. But I’m not there yet. I wouldn’t mind taking some advice from one of the greats,” said Ortiz in talking about Floyd Mayweather Jr.
If Ortiz isn’t done, then he should be ready to take on some of the top 15 contenders at welterweight when boxing starts back up. It would be nice to see Ortiz face one of the fringe contenders at 147 to see how he does. It wouldn’t be fair to Ortiz for him to take on a top-five contender like Keith Thurman or Yordenis Ugas.
Victor Ortiz: I Never left
“This question, it kind of bothers me. ‘Are you making a comeback?’ I never left. Whether you’re a reporter or whether you’re a dancer, a cook, or an author. Things take place in your life that you can’t control.
“Things have taken place that has kept me out of the ring for two years to be exact. It’s not fun. I’ve been going through some stuff. Once I’m out of there, I’m back in the ring.
“Nah, I’m with Freddie Roach, and we’re going to the top together,” said Ortiz when asked if he would come back to trainer Robert Garcia. “I’ll pass. I wish them the best in all they can do,” said Ortiz.
He’s had some problems that have gotten in the way of Ortiz fighting, but it’s hard to believe that he’s only fought twice since 2016. The issues that Ortiz has been dealing with must be huge for him to fight so rarely.
