L.A. Overshadowed by Vegas KO
Five fights took place Saturday night at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles during the dual site “STAR POWER: Mayweather vs. Ortiz” event coinciding with the MGM Grand’s clash between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Victor Ortiz in the fight capital of the world, Las Vegas.
Yes, live fights went down in L.A. but perhaps all anyone will really remember is the Mayweather–Ortiz controversy that played out on big screens hanging above the ring erected at the Staples Center.
The Mayweather shots heard ’round the world is all anyone’s gonna remember.
“Star Power” L.A. was eclipsed by those two thunder bolts of lightning.
It’s all we want to talk about, dissect, analyze. And then talk about–and argue about–again. And again.
Back in L.A. Saturday evening, the Canelo Alvarez–Alfonso Gomez fight was the featured event in L.A. on the historic “Star Power” card presented by Mayweather Promotions, Golden Boy Promotions in association with Canelo Promotions. The night had a festive air to it with all the fights on tap plus a live concert in celebration of Mexican Independence Day.
We at the Staples Center were anticipating even more thrilling combat when the live feed from Vegas began to stream in.
After a full buffet of boxing, including the Erik Morales–Pablo Cano war, the Mayweather–Ortiz marquee matchup was to be the designated “dessert.”
It was to be the icing on the cake after a good night of boxing. Appetites ready, the L.A. audience waited for the thrills to begin.
The stage was set. The hype still boiling over to a perfect temperature.
The drama had played out with the boxers’ diverse stories still fresh from their hit “24/7” HBO series.
Then the Floyd Mayweather (42-0, 26 KOs) vs. Victor Ortiz (29-3-2, 22 KOs) showdown finally took place.
For four rounds of “Money” Mayweather showed no ring rust in his pound-for-pound arsenal. The local favorite, Ventura’s Victor Ortiz, was fierce in trying to keep his WBC title from the clutches of the ring icon. The spirited 24-year-old wanted to make it a fight, but no one at the time knew what a fiasco it would really become.
As fate would have it, it was a strange and crazy chain of events that unfolded.
While Mayweather got his sweet taste of victory, those watching were left with a bad case of indigestion after less than 12 minutes of boxing.
By now, all the PPV fans and ticket holders have seen the replays over and over. And there are plenty of pirated links floating around the Internet too.
What we will never forget is the now infamous odd ending in Mayweather’s return to the ring.
The “P4P King” showed the world why he’s on top of the world. Ortiz, orphaned by his parents, wanted to shock the world by beating Floyd Jr.
The two, together, definitely shocked everyone with their actions.
While Mayweather confidently displayed his skills were still intact, the brash young Ortiz got in there in trying to take the fight to him. With Floyd’s speed and defense getting in the way, “Vicious” Victor bent down and leapt up aiming his head at Mayweather, while “Money” was backed in a corner. Referee Joe Cortez deducted a point for an intentional foul with the head butt that replayed for the masses. As the boos came out, no one expected what happened next to happen–especially the reigning WBC champ, Ortiz.
Victor tried to apologize to Floyd with a kiss; then at center ring Victor wanted to offer one more apologetic hug trying to touch gloves. After the slight arm embrace, Floyd’s lightening reflexes clocked with a left and then a devastating right that no one will ever forget, maybe for the wrong reasons?
The stadium rumbled and the crowd shuddered–stunned by the turn of events with the KO at 2:59 in the fourth.
As always, in any great drama there are three acts. Act I was Ortiz’s head butt. Act II was Mayweather’s clocking KO. But it was the final act that really caught everyone off guard.
Act III involved Hall of Fame announcer and HBO veteran Larry Merchant, 80 years young. It started out very friendly with Floyd even draping his left arm around his senior. As the silver-haired commentator was interviewing the winner right after the bout, Floyd called out Merchant for all the world to hear–after Mayweather felt he wasn’t getting a “fair shake.” After a heated exchange between the two, Floyd said Larry should be fired from HBO and he “doesn’t know shit” about the sport.
The octogenarian’s comeback?
“I wish I was 50 years younger, and I’d KICK YOUR ASS!” countered an indignant Merchant.
There’s been an uproar in the boxing world of who was right, who was wrong during the four rounds. But the Nevada State Athletic Commission has stated this was a fair exchange after time was declared in. But there are two defining camps in opinions. Those who blame Ortiz; those who blame Mayweather. 
And some are even blaming the ref.
Who was in the wrongdoing? Who was right?
No one wins on this one.
Borrowing the words of one of my friends who watched the fights live at Staples Center, “Do two ‘wrongs’ make a right? Or in this case: DO TWO WRONGS MAKE A FIGHT?”
It is a fight we will never forget. And five words that’s been pounded into our brains way too much by now: “Protect yourself at all times.”
In the Staples Center, the crowd was so loud in their jeers and boos that the post-fight comments broadcast on the screens were drowned out.
In the arena, verbal fighting began amongst fans in a vocal war of who was right, who was wrong. And sadly, it became a race issue too as insults were lobbed between Latinos and African-Americans.
No race pun intended, but does this really have to be a black and white issue? It seems to be only two ways of thinking–no gray area. There are those completely convinced Ortiz was not at fault; others vehemently say they understand why Mayweather did what he did–and he did no wrong. But rules are rules. Victor was docked a point for an intentional foul while Floyd was declared the winner for a fair one-two power punch heard ’round the world. The debate will continue to rage. Bloggers are calling it a “cheap shot” and “dirty tactics” by Mayweather while Ortiz was waiting on the referee’s instructions but the punches were found to be fair within the rules of Nevada.
For Victor Ortiz, his fans will wait and see how the talented Ventura slugger regroups this time. He does have that reported 2.5 million payday to rely on and youth (an now all-important experience on his side).
And Floyd Mayweather Jr. (comfortable in the black-hat villain role he relishes and embellishes) can continue to buy luxury cars, fly in private jets, and talk to his best bud 50 Cent through their stacks-of-money phones that we can only dream of obtaining.
But most importantly, who can take away the pound-for-pound king’s supremacy in the squared circle? Pacman?
Well, if Larry Merchant WERE 50 years younger, he’d be happy to throw his name in the hat in challenging “Money” Mayweather!
But it’s 2011 and Larry, at 80 years old, was forced to watch with the rest of the world as the world champion walked out of the ring with his victory #42.
As I walked out of the Staples Center, there was a prevailing mood in the crowd of distaste. Boxing thrives on controversy but this truly bizarre ending was more than anyone bargained for.
This was an ending to the fistic drama no one could have ever predicted. Like Mike Tyson’s ear-biting incident, Margarito’s hand wrap scandal, this is also an act (or several acts) cemented in infamy.
But there was some foreshadowing–in Floyd’s own words.
“Showin’ is better than tellin,'” Mayweather Jr. said during an episode in HBO’s “24/7” series. “Showin’ is better than tellin’! Let’s go!”
Both boxers showed who they were, for better or worse?
During HBO’s “24/7 Mayweather/Ortiz,” Floyd was also seen on camera saying he’s old enough to be Victor’s dad so he’s gonna “son him.”
If teaching your son a valuable lesson in Prizefighting 101 to protect yourself at all times, then how can we ever forget Mayweather’s harsh “lesson”?
The hot debate will continue, linger and hover around those involved forever.
WHAT’S YOUR OPINION?
Photos by Marlene Marquez
Khan would beat him unless he caught him like presscot did,,,
@ david Ortiz wear mayweather down??? R u serious???? They both done wrong I done the worst wrong by paying for this!!!! L8r wiv the rematch! Maidana beat Ortiz, khan beat maidana all be it luck was very much on his side, anyway khan v mayweather all day, they both technical boxers and that’s what I wanna c is a boxing match!!! B4 any1 states varges
David, thank you for your kind remarks. I have empathy for us all. I had long since retired as a boxing fan but then I came back for this…….What is a woman suppose to do now?
I’m such a fickle fan:o) Yes, I hope there is a rematch too.
You all are a bunch of Haters! No, I don’t like Floyd either but it is what it is and Ortiz got what he deserved. He had been using his head all night to push Mayweather back and had already tried to head butt in a previous round and was warned by Cortez. He started using his head more aggressively as the fight went on. In the 4th he just got to comfortable doing it and did what he did. In the end what Ortiz did was not only wrong, it’s illegal. What Mayweather did was legal. Maybe wrong but can’t say I blame him since he had just gotten hit with a CHEAP shot him self!!!!
I’m willing to bet that if Ortiz had made it out the round, he would have attempted to hug and kiss again. When fighters touch gloves, it is generally accepted as a ” sorry, my bad. ” and is put to rest. Ortiz gave 3 hugs, 2 kisses, 1 touch gloves. Boderline gay stuff. At worst, what Mayweather did was unsportsmanlike. People call it a coward move but Ortiz was right in front of him. I’ve never heard of anyone called a coward when the person you are hitting is practically dead in your face. When time is “in” your on your own. 9.9/10 fighters would not have done that I assume. Again simply unsportsmanlike, but that’s it !! I won’t even get into the INTENTIONAL headbutt that caused a cut.
Yes Sir Jim! I agree with you. If that were ortiz it would have been different story. @ Shelia … I’m just pissed cause like most of us here we paid to see a fight and not cheap shots by both fighters. Hope we get to see a rematch.
Sweetie, looks like you, all of us who paid to see the fight and Ortiz was not on the same page. Had there not have been a head-butt we would have seen a fight where the best man wins. I too have seen fights where there was some kind of head-butting, but there is a big difference between some kind of head-butting and a straight out intentional head-butt. Unforturnately we saw the intentional head-butt by Ortiz and we all feel cheated! After watching it over and over, I’m just glad both fighters lived to fight another day. Thank you for expressing your comments, your opinion is shared and respected.
I AGREE WITH DAVID. GAYWEATHER TOOK THE PUSSY WAY OUT. THAT’S PROBABLY HOW HE TAKES OUT HIS GIRLFRIENDS AND KIDS. WHAT A COWARD. I GUARANTEE IF IT WAS ORTIZ CHEAP SHOOTING ON FLOYD CORTEZ WOULD HAVE SEEN IT A WHOLE DIFFERENT WAY.
Head butt? Man almost all fights I’ve seen have some kind of head butting. But yes he shouldn’t have done it and his hands should have been up. I’m speaking for the people who paid to see a fight and the best man win and guess what? We didn’t get to see it.
pinche mayate chirion!
Well, Ortiz was wrong for the head-butt, he did try to apologize twice in which Mayweather accepted twice. First with a hug and second with a dap of their gloves. Now, when that ref, called them to fight, Ortiz went in a third time with a hug, Mayweather came back with his gloves….. so from what I saw, the ref was right, Ortiz was still feeling guilty and Mayweather was feeling….well he looked mad. I quess he was the only one that saw Rocky 1,11,111,1V and V. The lesson here isn’t protect yourself at all times, rather, don’t make your opponent mad!
Man stop this crap ” protect your self at all times” yes we know. It was a even fight , 1 goes to may, 2 ortiz, 3 may and the 4 well we all seen ortiz was tearing that ass up. Mayweather took the little pussy way out that coward. Ortiz would have wear him down then would have knocked that coward out. He ain’t the best cause he hasn’t beaten the best.. all yall idiots that think Mayweather should take credit for a win like tha are just sad people. Ortiz would have knocked him out in the later rounds and the little coward knew it so he took the cheap way out.
I agree. Ortiz had fallen into a small hole that he was only seemingly about to fall deeper into. Mayweather was already peppering him with rights at will and let’s remember, with Mayweathers analize than punish style, he was still feeling things out and hadn’t yet begun to absolutely dominate and abuse Ortiz like we’ve become accustomed to watching him do.
Ortiz lost his bearings and blacked out. He apologised twice to mayweather, first a hug and kiss, than when ref was deducting a point he gave Mayweather a glove pound that Mayweather acknowledged with one in return and a head nod. THAN when they were in their perspective corner Cortez waved them in and ordered them to fight, thus resuming the fight. Ortiz however still in a fuzz attempted a third apology which Mayweather didn’t have to but still accepted. Than Ortiz simply neglected to defend himself and got clocked. He had more than enuff chances to apologise and was looking for a scape goat from the a$$ whopping amidst his frustration.
In my opinion, Lopez vs Vargas was the most exciting fight.
I dont understand why there’s so much debate, they were both wrong. What I really dont get is after Mayflower hit Ortiz with the left, why did he just stand there with his hands down. I’m no boxer but that first punch would have told me to put my hands up (rookie). I dont think Victor was hurt that bad, but mayflowers sucker punch was the perfect excuse to make it all go away.
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