Victor Ortiz vs Floyd Mayweather Jr

Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather Jr returned from a 16-month absence to take the WBC welterweight championship from Victor Ortiz by a controversial fourth-round knockout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on September 17, 2011. The finish came at 2 minutes 59 seconds after Ortiz had committed a deliberate head-butt, been penalised a point and then lowered his guard while attempting to apologise. Mayweather struck him with a left hook and straight right, the latter putting Ortiz down for the full count.

The contest attracted 14,687 spectators and produced a gate of approximately $9 million. Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions promoted it jointly, and HBO Pay-Per-View televised it, attracting a reported 1.25 million purchases. Mayweather was guaranteed $25 million and Ortiz $2 million, with the challenger’s eventual earnings increasing through his share of the promotion. Mayweather weighed 146½ pounds and Ortiz 147, although HBO’s unofficial fight-night scales recorded Ortiz at 164 pounds and Mayweather at 150.

Ortiz entered with a record of 29 wins, two defeats and two draws. Five months earlier he had revived his career by defeating the previously unbeaten Andre Berto in a severe 12-round contest, rising from two knockdowns and flooring Berto twice to win the WBC title. The performance answered some of the criticism that had followed Ortiz’s 2009 defeat by Marcos Maidana, when he had appeared unwilling to continue after six rounds. Mayweather was 41–0 and had not fought since outpointing Shane Mosley in May 2010. At 34, he was ten years older than Ortiz, but his speed and judgement remained intact.

Mayweather began more aggressively than was customary. He stepped towards the southpaw champion, tested him with the jab and repeatedly sent the straight right through the centre of Ortiz’s guard. Ortiz attempted to close quickly behind his left hand and use his greater weight at close quarters, but Mayweather anticipated the rushes and either countered or tied him up. The first round contained little sustained fighting, although Mayweather’s clean right hands gave him the advantage.

Ortiz increased his effort in the second. He landed a left hand, drove Mayweather towards a corner and worked to the body when he could get close. Mayweather remained composed and found Ortiz with counter rights as the champion advanced. Ortiz’s physical strength allowed him to force the action in brief passages, but his attacks were wide and Mayweather blocked or avoided much of the work before replying with the cleaner punches. Judge Jerry Roth gave Ortiz the opening round but awarded the next two to Mayweather; judges Glenn Trowbridge and Adalaide Byrd scored all three for the challenger.

By the third, Mayweather had established the timing of Ortiz’s advances. He used the jab to direct the champion’s movement and countered the southpaw left with his right hand. A firm right briefly checked Ortiz’s legs, while several left hooks caught him as he attempted to move inside. Ortiz continued pressing and landed occasionally, but Mayweather saw the punches early and grew increasingly comfortable. After three rounds, Trowbridge and Byrd had Mayweather ahead 30–27, and Roth led 29–28.

Mayweather opened the fourth with greater authority, landing fast combinations and a succession of right hands. Ortiz nevertheless produced his best attack of the fight when he drove Mayweather into a corner and released punches with both hands. Many were caught on the arms and shoulders, but the pressure briefly prevented Mayweather from moving. Ortiz then launched himself forward and drove the crown of his head into Mayweather’s face. The foul was deliberate and opened cuts on the inside and outside of Mayweather’s mouth.

Referee Joe Cortez immediately called time, separated the fighters and deducted one point from Ortiz. The champion approached Mayweather and embraced him in apology, appearing also to kiss him on the cheek. Cortez then brought the men together, instructed them to continue and signalled that time was back in. Ortiz touched gloves with Mayweather and again moved forward as though to apologise. Mayweather, recognising that the contest had resumed, delivered a short left hook to the jaw. Ortiz looked towards Cortez instead of raising his hands, whereupon Mayweather struck him with a straight right that dropped him onto his back.

Cortez began the count, and Ortiz made no serious attempt to rise before ten. The punches were legal because the referee had restarted the action; Mayweather was not required to wait for another touch of gloves or for Ortiz to complete a further apology. The finish was nevertheless unsatisfactory because Ortiz was plainly unprepared and Cortez was looking away when the blows were delivered. Responsibility rested chiefly with Ortiz, who had committed the original foul and then failed to protect himself after the contest had resumed.

The victory made Mayweather a welterweight champion once more and extended his unbeaten record to 42–0, with 26 wins inside the distance. Ortiz fell to 29–3–2 and lost the title without completing a defence. The ending dominated the discussion, including Mayweather’s heated exchange with HBO interviewer Larry Merchant afterwards, but the preceding action had already established a clear pattern. Ortiz brought youth, strength, and southpaw pressure, yet Mayweather’s accuracy, timing, and defence gave him control of the first three rounds. The champion’s frustration led to the head-butt, and his lapse immediately afterwards brought the contest to its abrupt conclusion.

This was one of the ugliest endings I’ve seen, and nobody came out of it particularly well. Ortiz was frustrated because Mayweather had already found the range with that straight right. The head-butt was deliberate, stupid and deserved the point deduction. But after Ortiz apologised and dropped his hands, Mayweather knocked him out with a left hook and right hand while he was looking towards Joe Cortez.

Let’s be clear: Mayweather broke no rule. Cortez had restarted the action, and every boxer is taught to protect himself at all times. Ortiz was naive beyond belief. But legal doesn’t automatically mean sporting. Floyd knew Ortiz wasn’t ready and took advantage of it. I thought it was totally unsportsmanlike, even if it was within the laws of boxing.

That was Mayweather, though. He never cared whether the crowd loved him or despised him, as long as they bought a ticket or paid for the broadcast. He understood that hostility sold fights just as effectively as admiration. The argument afterwards with Larry Merchant probably helped sell his next event.

The shame is that Mayweather was already taking Ortiz apart. His timing, accuracy and right hand had given him control, and I believe he would have stopped him properly later. Instead, a legitimate performance became remembered for a cheap ending. Ortiz created the mess, Cortez handled it poorly, and Mayweather finished it without an ounce of sportsmanship.