Eric Jamison/AP
Floyd Mayweather, Jr. knocked out Victor Ortiz last Saturday night in a welterweight title bout. The problem is that the knockout was not without controversy, which seems to follow Mayweather no matter what he does (in or outside the ring).
First of all, let’s end this charade about Mayweather sucker-punching Ortiz. In boxing (and the streets), you are taught to keep your guard up AT ALL TIMES. Hell the referee even says this at the beginning of each match:
“Protect yourself AT ALL TIMES”.
You mean to tell me if you saw a boxer in a championship match with his guard down – no matter the reason – you wouldn’t take a free shot (or two) at him? Really? If you do not, you’d be considered the worst – and dumbest – boxer of all time.
Hell, Ortiz was dirtier when he head-butted Mayweather moments before the knockout. And why in the hell did Ortiz try to kiss Mayweather? That alone deserved a knockout.
So stop calling Mayweather dirty and cheap. Boxing is called a pugilistic sport for a reason.
Now, about that possible Manny Pacquiao bout…
Categories: boxing, sports story
After the first hit any person on the planet would have put there guard up.
I am laughing at all these sports “experts” who thought that Floyd was dirty and cheap. Apparently those same “experts” think that you should be given a pass when you do not have your guard up.
Those “experts” probably never won a street fight – if they didn’t run from them first…
Agree totally,
Initially, I thought Mayweather has been kind of a punk these last few years. I realize now that I was wrong. Once a boxer hits 30, (Mayweather is 34) ,he knows his best days are behind him and he has to be prudent. For him, it’s not about showing the world that he can knock everybody out. It’s all about the Benjamins, not machismo.
What he is doing is unprecedented. Mayweather controls everything. He literally owns the fight. He hires a promoter, he gets a cut of everything down to the popcorn sold at closed circuit venues. He even pays the other fighter! He’s taking a page from Ray Charles, James Brown and Oprah, who saw the importance of ownership.
As far a Pacquaio is concerned, I don’t have a problem with Mayweather insisting that they use the most advanced tests available to check for banned substances.
Good job analyzing the end of the fight..no boxer should have to resort to headbutts, let alone a leaping soccer thrust headbutt like Ortiz did. And then to kiss the man? Pac Man would give Floyd a good fight but he would lose in the end too
Ortiz was out-classed and was out of his league against Mayweather. Mayweather showed that at 34 years of age, he could still get the job done. I’m one of the few cats who think that Mayweather would beat Pacquiao – if and when they decide to fight…
Got this one right, Klown. Ortiz had that coming. And he should have been ready.