Five reasons Victor Ortiz is a real risk for Floyd Mayweather
The match is signed and the boxing world is abuzz. Floyd Mayweather jr. (41-0, 25 KOs) will meet "Vicious" Victor Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KOs) on September 17th at a venue to be announced.
While fight fans banter back and forth about the upcoming battle, some critics question whether Ortiz is the best fight, or even the right fight available for the five-division world champ, Mayweather. Others feel that Ortiz has some real, distinct advantages for this encounter.
Here's a look at five reasons why Victor Ortiz represents a real risk for Floyd Mayweather:
Age/Athleticism
Victor Ortiz is a 24-year-old fighter in the physical prime of his career. In comparison, Mayweather chief rival, Manny Pacquiao hasn't fought a twenty-something fighter in over four years. Ortiz is gifted with tremendous athleticism and is regarded as one of the best athletes in the range of 140-147 lbs. Speed, physical strength, and the endurance of a prime, youthful world class athlete is a tough mountain to climb. Mayweather, on the other hand is a full decade older than his opponent and several years past his physical prime as an athlete.
Southpaw Stance
It's no secret that two of Mayweather's toughest times have come against quick-fisted southpaws. Speedy lefties, Demarcus Corley and Zab Judah gave Mayweather significant problems at times, with Corley even managing to hurt the elusive defensive specialist. Ortiz's southpaw stance will make Mayweather's task all the more difficult.
Momentum
Victor Ortiz is coming off the biggest fight of his career in a title-winning thriller against defending WBC welterweight champ, Andre Berto. Not only did Ortiz win his first world title against Berto, he also managed to rescue a career that was in trouble following his 2009 TKO by retirement loss to Marcos Maidana. Ortiz will be bringing that forward momentum into the biggest bout of his career and will likely be riding a wave of confidence and enthusiasm. September 17th represents a chance for Ortiz to take the next step up from star to superstar. He knows this and there's no question that he will come into the bout fully charged.
Size
Although Ortiz just recently made the move up from jr. welterweight, the Kansas-born Oxnard, California native walks around near the super middleweight limit. For his recent welterweight title-winning bout against Andre Berto, Ortiz re-hydrated to 165 lbs. by the opening bell. Mayweather, on the other hand, has no problem making 147 and usually only re-hydrates up to 150 or so. Come fight night, Mayweather could easily find himself giving up a fifteen pound weight advantage.
Inactivity
Mayweather hasn't fought since May of 2010. That means that, by the day of the fight, the 5-division world champ from Las Vegas by way of Grand Rapids, Michigan, will have been inactive for over a year and four months. For a rhythm fighter, like Mayweather, inactivity is the worst possible enemy. Ortiz, on the other hand, has been in the ring four times in that same period of time. The 24-year-old will be sharp and focused come fight night.
what you guys think?
While fight fans banter back and forth about the upcoming battle, some critics question whether Ortiz is the best fight, or even the right fight available for the five-division world champ, Mayweather. Others feel that Ortiz has some real, distinct advantages for this encounter.
Here's a look at five reasons why Victor Ortiz represents a real risk for Floyd Mayweather:
Age/Athleticism
Victor Ortiz is a 24-year-old fighter in the physical prime of his career. In comparison, Mayweather chief rival, Manny Pacquiao hasn't fought a twenty-something fighter in over four years. Ortiz is gifted with tremendous athleticism and is regarded as one of the best athletes in the range of 140-147 lbs. Speed, physical strength, and the endurance of a prime, youthful world class athlete is a tough mountain to climb. Mayweather, on the other hand is a full decade older than his opponent and several years past his physical prime as an athlete.
Southpaw Stance
It's no secret that two of Mayweather's toughest times have come against quick-fisted southpaws. Speedy lefties, Demarcus Corley and Zab Judah gave Mayweather significant problems at times, with Corley even managing to hurt the elusive defensive specialist. Ortiz's southpaw stance will make Mayweather's task all the more difficult.
Momentum
Victor Ortiz is coming off the biggest fight of his career in a title-winning thriller against defending WBC welterweight champ, Andre Berto. Not only did Ortiz win his first world title against Berto, he also managed to rescue a career that was in trouble following his 2009 TKO by retirement loss to Marcos Maidana. Ortiz will be bringing that forward momentum into the biggest bout of his career and will likely be riding a wave of confidence and enthusiasm. September 17th represents a chance for Ortiz to take the next step up from star to superstar. He knows this and there's no question that he will come into the bout fully charged.
Size
Although Ortiz just recently made the move up from jr. welterweight, the Kansas-born Oxnard, California native walks around near the super middleweight limit. For his recent welterweight title-winning bout against Andre Berto, Ortiz re-hydrated to 165 lbs. by the opening bell. Mayweather, on the other hand, has no problem making 147 and usually only re-hydrates up to 150 or so. Come fight night, Mayweather could easily find himself giving up a fifteen pound weight advantage.
Inactivity
Mayweather hasn't fought since May of 2010. That means that, by the day of the fight, the 5-division world champ from Las Vegas by way of Grand Rapids, Michigan, will have been inactive for over a year and four months. For a rhythm fighter, like Mayweather, inactivity is the worst possible enemy. Ortiz, on the other hand, has been in the ring four times in that same period of time. The 24-year-old will be sharp and focused come fight night.
what you guys think?
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