By Rick Reeno
Rolando Arellano, manager of former welterweight champion Victor Ortiz (29-4-2, 22KOs), informed krikya360.com that later today he will send a letter to Golden Boy Promotions to place them on notice that Ortiz wants to exercise his contracted rematch clause for a second showdown with Josesito Lopez (30-4, 18KOs).
This past Saturday night at Staples Center in Los Angeles, Ortiz and Lopez went to war for nine rounds. At the end of the ninth round, Ortiz advised his corner that his jaw was badly broken and he was unable to continue.
According to Arrellano, Ortiz initially broke his jaw in the fifth round and would later suffer a second break, which caused severe damage inside his mouth. Ortiz was starting to spit puddles of blood in his corner and found himself using his glove during several rounds to adjust his jaw.
Ortiz underwent successful surgery, with doctors placing a titanium bar and three screws in his jaw. The recovery time could take as long as six months, says Arrelano.
"He had his jaw broken in the fifth and he fought for four rounds with a broken jaw which is f***ing unheard of. He said that when he would throw punches his jaw would just fall open and he would use his glove to push up against his jaw to keep it shut. The break of the jaw was so severe, because he continued f***ing fighting, that he severed some veins on the inside and it was called internal bleeding. The doctor told us that if we didn't get him to the hospital right away, he could bleed out. What that means is f****ing die from lack of blood," Arellano told krikya360.com.
"He went into surgery and the jaw was broken in two places. There was a double break. The first break and then several punches later there was a second break. They had to put a titanium steel piece of bar in it and three screws in it. I came in and talked to the doctor. The doctor told me it would be wired shut for two weeks and probably about four to six months until it is fully healed. The jaw will be stronger than before because of the titanium."
"Victor wrote down on a piece of paper - 'exercise my rematch clause now.' Today [Golden Boy and Team Lopez] they will be put on notice that my fighter wants the rematch clause exercised. We have a certain amount of time to do so. I will be writing that email later to [Golden Boy head matchmaker] Eric Gomez and it will be conveyed to all of the executives."
Arellano says Ortiz is in good spirits and looks forward to the rematch. Ortiz believes he was close to knocking Lopez out before the stoppage.
"He said 'I know I was going to knock him out real soon. I felt it, I could see it in his body. The knockout I felt was coming real soon. I got caught. I broke my jaw, I did the best I can. I go back to the ninth round and it just locked open and I couldn't close it or defend it no more,'" Arrelano said.
Because Ortiz's recovery time could take a few months, and Showtime would have to find an open date, Lopez may have the option of taking an interim-fight before facing Ortiz again. Arrelano has no issue with Lopez taking an interim fight - if the rematch is going to take an extended amount of time to put together.
Arellano also had some choice words for some of the critics out there.
"Most of these people making that conclusion [that Ortiz quit] is based on ignorant facts. Most people do not know his jaw was broken in the fifth round. Most people do not know how severe it was. He kept f***ing going and gave the fans what they wanted. And after knowing all of that, if people still think he's a quitter - I respectfully invite them in the f***ing ring, break your f***ing jaw, cut some vein in the back of your neck and let's see how long you last before going into a complete panic," Arellano said.