Floyd Mayweather vs. Victor Ortiz

Stats

Floyd Mayweather

Age: 34

Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI

Nickname: "Money"

Height: 5'8"

Reach: 72"

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 41-0 (25 knockouts)

Ranking: Former pound-for-pound and welterweight king (removed due to inactivity)

Titles Held: WBC Junior Lightweight (1998-2002); WBC Lightweight (2002-2004); WBC Junior Welterweight (2004-2005); IBF Welterweight (2006-2008); WBC Junior Middleweight (2007)

Victor Ortiz

Age: 24

Hometown: Oxnard, CA

Nickname: "Vicious"

Height: 5'9"

Reach: 70"

Stance: Southpaw

Record: 29-2-2 (22 knockouts)

Ranking: #2 Welterweight

Titles Held: WBC Welterweight (2011-current)

*All stats and rankings are based off of "The Ring" Magazine

        Fall is finally here, and with it comes the return of Floyd "Money" Mayweather. Unlike the Fall however, we can never be sure as to when it is Mayweather will come back. For those who are debating whether or not to watch this fight, there is no denying that this is THE most significant boxing event of the year. Some might argue that Pacquiao vs. Marquez III will be the more significant, but that fight doesn't offer nearly as much intrique nor excitement in regards to what the outcome might be. This match-up has all signs that point to a great fight. It offer's a veteran of the sport going up against a young up-an-comer with some of the most brutal punching power in boxing today. It also has the makings to be an exciting fight which really couldn't have been said about Mayweather's previous couple of outings. Instead of going up against an aging fighter he has chosen a to fight Ortiz who is bigger, faster, and stronger then Mayweather himself. Some signs point to  Mayweather looking to face Pacquiao after this, but that point is for another day and another article. For now, let's focus on the fight at hand and see how it might play out.

Floyd Mayweather weighs-in before his
Sep. 17th bout against Victor Ortiz.

        What can be said about Floyd that hasn't been said already? It's true that Floyd has his share of personal and legal issues, but there is no denying that he is one of the greatest American-born boxers of all-time. He is flashy, he is boastful, he is arrogant, and he is one of the best things that could happen to the sport today. Mayweather is a master of promotion. Whether you are a die-hard fan or a fan that prefers he die, the man puts meat in the seats with people curious to see whether he keeps that (0) at the end of his record. Aside from his promotional skills, Floyd is one of the best, if not the best, all-around boxers in the sport today. Floyd is a defensive master, who also possesses stopping power in both hands. Although he hasn't shown it recent since he has adopted more of a counter-punching role, one just has to look at his earlier fights for proof of this. Come Saturday, Mayweather will be coming off a 16-month layoff of inactivity due to his recent legal troubles. Before the lay-off, his most recent-win was a dominant unanimous decision win over an again Shane Mosley. What was interesting about this fight was how Mayweather was able to recover so well after getting tagged by booming straight right from Mosley. This proved to everyone that although Floyd could be hit, yet he still owns one of the best chins in the sport today as far as being able to recover. In this fight he also showed just how bad he can make a fighter look by constantly counter-punching, and forcing his opponent to hit nothing but the air. These are Floyd's biggest attributes coming into Saturday night's fight. If Floyd can control the pace as well as the distance he will be safe from Ortiz powerful right-hook. If he survives the early on-slaught by Ortiz expect Floyd to start counter-punching a tired Ortiz en-route to a dominant decision win.

Victor Ortiz (left) batters Andre Berto (right) en-
route to a stoppage win and his first major title.

At one time in his career, Ortiz was thought of as a waste of talent and a quitter. This reputation came after he quit in the sixth-round of a shoot-out against Junior Welterweight fringe contender, Marcos Maidana (30-2-0). Ortiz decided it was best to officially move up in weight, but this cloud of negativity still seemed to surround him. In his last outing however, Ortiz was able to silence his detractors with an exciting back-and-forth win over one-time titlist Andre Berto (28-1-0) in what is considered the best fight of the year so far.  In this fight Ortiz showed that he could take a shot (was knocked down twice in this fight), while still being able to recover. This alone seemed to finally destroy the reputation he earned of a "quitter" when he fought Maidana. Another thing of note was the fact that Ortiz looked massive in his new weight-class. Instead of looking lanky and dried-out, he looked filled-out and muscular which means this was his natural weight-class all along. His never say die attitude, and his sheer size for the weight class are Ortiz' biggest advantages come Saturday night. What could cause Floyd the most trouble though is the fact that Ortiz is a southpaw. Floyd has been shown to have trouble against southpaw fighters, and there is no doubt that Ortiz is toughest of the ones he has faced. The current odds make it seem like Ortiz doesn't have much of a chance, but in reality that couldn't be farther from the truth. Ortiz can win this fight by controlling the pace from the opening bell, and immediatley going on the offensive. One thing Floyd has always had trouble with was a right hook from a southpaw fighter, and best thing Ortiz can do is throw it and throw it often. If Ortiz follows this gameplan along with mixing in a straight-left with his right hook combo there is no doubt that he can put Mayweather down. This is especially true considering Ortiz is the only man who has scored a knockdown against all of his opponents. I'm doubtful that Ortiz can shut off Mayweather's lights, but he can do just enough to force the ref to halt the bout.

Prediction:
        At the opening bell both fighters will come out tentatively. The first minute will involve both trying to feel each other out with Ortiz throwing the harder shots as Mayweather looks for a counter-punch. At the second, Ortiz will come out pushing the offense and both fighters will begin to exchange. As Ortiz throws punches, Mayweather will roll away from them but will still get stung by a couple of hard shots. All the while Floyd will attack the body as he continues to counter-punch. In the third, Ortiz will tag Mayweather forcing him to jump on his bike and try to regroup. After stalling a bit by holding on to Ortiz, Mayweather will eventually be saved by the bell. By the fourth round Floyd has recovered and already knows what to expect after feeling Ortiz' power. Ortiz will try to rush again, but this time Mayweather will roll under the punch and counter with a thudding left cross. Ortiz will be rocked, but as Mayweather tries to capitalize the bell will wrong. In the fifth and sixth rounds, Ortiz will begin to go into desperation and he fights off the effects of the last round's shot and the onset of exhaustion. He will begin swinging for the fences, and hoping to score a knockdown against Floyd. Unfortunately for Ortiz, Mayweather is able to read him like a book and has taken complete control of this fight based on his slick defense and beautiful counter-shots. Mayweather will continue this same pattern as Ortiz becomes more exhausted and more desperate. After the twelfth round, Mayweather will be awarded a unanimous decision win along with a fight against Manny Pacquiao.

Things quickly turn sour after both fighters hit the scale the day before their
Sept. 17 contest.

Pick: Floyd Mayweather def. Victor Ortiz via Unanimous Decision

Quick Picks
Saul "Canelo" Alvarez vs. Alfonso Gomez
In the co-main event of the evening, Mexican super-star "Canelo" Alvarez is paired against Alfonso Gomez. There's not really much to say about this fight. Gomez is no where near the same-level as some of "Canelo"'s past opponents so I don't see him offering much here aside from a pay-day for Alvarez. "Canelo" will take control from the on-set, and win via stoppage in the fourth.
Pick: Saul "Canelo" Alvarez def. Alfonso Gomez via referee stoppage

Erik "El Terrible" Morales vs. Pablo Cesar Cano
In another under-card fight on the pay-per-view, aging Mexican star will face largely untested, and very last-minute opponent Pablo Cano. Due to Cano taking this fight in close to a weeks notice I don't see this being much of a competition. Morales will win a one-sided affair, and will earn the meaningless WBC belt that was practically gift-wrapped to him.
Pick: Erik Morales def. Pablo Cesar Cano via early referee stoppage

*The I Call Bullshit* Award:
Goes to Victor Ortiz for his blatant lie when trying to hype this fight. From the beginning, Ortiz stuck to this story that since he "..was nine, I always told myself and my friend that I would hand Floyd Mayweather his first loss." Mr. Ortiz, as the award implies "I Call Bullshit" on that claim, and I'll tell you why. When you were nine-years old Floyd Mayweather was a young, up-and-comer. At this stage in Floyd's career, he was fighting as a featherweight (126 lbs.) which at the time the lower-weight classes got little to no exposure, and he looked far-cry from the phenom he would turn to be. Congratulations Mr. Ortiz, here's to hoping your gameplan is better than your fight hype.

Yuriorkis Gamboa vs. Daniel Ponce de Leon

Stats

Yuriorkis Gamboa

Age: 29

Hometown: Miami (by way of Cuba)

Nickname: "El Ciclon de Guantanamo"

Height: 5'5 1/2"

Reach: 65"

Stance: Orthodox

Record: 29-0 (15 knockouts)

Ranking: #1 Featherweight

Titles Held: WBA and IBF Featherweight titles

Daniel Ponce de Leon

Age: 31

Hometown: Huntington Park, California (by way of Mexico)

Nickname: none

Height: 5'5"

Reach: 70"

Stance: Southpaw

Record: 41-3-0 (34 knockouts)

Ranking: #5 Featherweight

Titles Held: none

It seems Fall has finally arrived, and with it comes cool weather along with big-name fights. What differentiates these big name fights from more recent ones, such as Haye vs. Klitchscko, is the fact that these match-ups are poised to deliver even bigger action. The first match-up kicking off this busy Fall is a featherweight tilt between Cuban gold-medalist Yuriorkis Gamboa and Mexico's own Daniel Ponce de Leon. This fight is guaranteed to deliver as far as excitement and entertainment go. If you need proof look no further than the fact that HBO executives gave this fight top-billing over a heayweight scrap between Vitali Klitschko and Tomasz Adamek. If you're new to boxing this is a great introductory match. Hell, even the die-hard fans can discover what they've missed considering the lighter weight-classes don't receive much exposure. No matter what type of fan you are, this fight offers everything you could possibly want. So enough with the banter and let's get on to the preview.



Gamboa (left) lands a ferocious left-hook en-route to a
stoppage win over Mexican veteran Orlando Salido (right).

Yuriorkis Gamboa has been nothing short of dominant ever since bringing home olympic gold to Cuba. Ever since defecting from the country he has become a fan-favorite to many, along with becoming one of the most avoided champions in the sport. What makes Gamboa so dangerous is his mix of speed, skill, and raw power. He is able to seamlessly bring all these factors together while maintaining a patience and technicality that is usually unheard of in a fighter his age. Gamboa's most recent wins come over Orlando Salido (36-11-2), and a brutal stoppage victory against Jorge Solis (40-3-2). Out of the two victories, his dominant win over Salido is considered to be one his most important. This is due to the fact that right after Gamboa handled Salido from bell to bell, Salido would go on to earn a victory against, then undefeated champion, Juan Manuel Marquez. Some thought that Salido had finally earned the recognition he deserved, but all attention went back to the fact that Gamboa. This was due to the fact that Gamboa was able to dominate Salido from bell-to-bell, unlike his rival "Juanma" Lopez who succumbed to Salido's power. The secret to Gamboa's success in the ring is purely based on his style. He is able to let off wicked-fast combinations while continuosly coming forward. As much as this style has worked for him however, there is no denying that there obvious openings for his opponents to capitalize on. Gamboa tends to crowd his opponents with his chin up, and sometimes leaves his hands down. This leads to him getting knocked down in his more exciting fights, but he is able to make up for this in that he stands back up immediatley, seemingly unfazed by what just happened. It's this style of Gamboa's that leaves his opponents frustrated and exhausted, allowing him to capitalize and score a stoppage win. Another tool of Gamboa's is his stinging right hook which he tends to unleash to both the head and the body at will. This punch is definitley Gamboa's bread and butter, yet most of Gamboa's opponents are still surprised by it. For Gamboa to win this fight he will have to do what he does best, which is control the pace and overwhelm the opponent. If he is able to do all this while maintaining distance, along with establishing his jab, he can cruise to a dominant points victory or win via stoppage.



Ponce de Leon (right) tags Eduardo Escobedo (left)
before knocking him down in the later rounds.

Daniel Ponce de Leon is the classic Mexican boxer in that he is willing to sacrifice technique for an all-out brawl in center ring. As appealing as his style may be to watch however, it is this which stops him from reaching a certain level of greatness in his weight-class. Ponce de Leon's last fight was a controversial decision loss to up-and-coming junior lightweight prospect, Adrien Broner. Even though he had lost the fight, many came off impressed realizing that there was more to Ponce de Leon then wild arm-punches and desperate haye-makers. If that wasn't enough to impress people, they had to be impressed in the fact that Ponce de Leon was able to do so well in a weight-class that is above his natural weight. Even though he may be far from being the most technical boxer, he can definitley win this fight. As a southpaw Ponce de Leon already has an immediate advantage, but pair this with the fact that he has a vicious left hook along with stamina for days and you have a fighter who is a tough fight for anybody. To win this fight Ponce de Leon must make this his kind of fight, and lure Gamboa into a fire fight. Although this is a dangerous move for Ponce de Leon, it allows him the best opportunity to catch Gamboa coming in and dropping him. If he keeps this kind of pace from the opening bell, he's in for a short night's work along with some new hardware to take home.



Ponce de Leon (left) and Gamboa (right)
square off at the weigh-ins before their
Sept. 10th contest.

Prediction: As far as the fight itself goes it can go many ways, but there's no denying that this is at the top of my list for potential Fight of the Year. I see both fighters coming out in the first round to a relatively slow start as both try to get a feel for each other. From then on, I see Ponce de Leon being the aggressor in the early rounds as Gamboa tries to counter-punch. By the fourth round, Gamboa will come alive and try to beat Ponce de Leon at his own game. A firefight between the two will take place in the center of the ring up until early in the fifth, where Gamboa will be put down by Ponce de Leon's left hook. Gamboa will recover, and by the sixth will begin swarming an exhausted Ponce de Leon. Gamboa will run a clinic, landing jabs and hooks to the body, as Ponce de Leon tries to answer back. After another shoot-out between the two, Gamboa will land a body-shot in the seventh that stings Ponce de Leon, and will score the knockdown by following up with hooks up stairs. In the eighth, Ponce de Leon will be frustrated and exhausted, allowing Gamboa to once again swarm the Mexican fighter. This will continue until Ponce de Leon is once again dropped, forcing the referee to put a halt to the action. I see Gamboa beating a bloody and very game Ponce de Leon via late-rounds stoppage.

Pick: Yuriorkis Gamboa def. Daniel Ponce de Leon via referee stoppage (KO)

Quick Picks

Vitali Klitschko vs. Tomasz Adamek

I give HBO credit for choosing to air this fight, but I see it playing out as most Klitschko fights tend to. Klitschko will dominate from the on-set with his rangy jab, keeping the much-shorter Adamek at bay and putting a halt to any real exchanges. This will continue for most of the fight as Klitschko continues his pace, and finds success landing more powerful blows. This cycle will continue until Klitschko forces a referee stoppage after trapping Adamek on the ropes pummeling him with his powerful left and right straights.

Pick: Vitali Klitschko def. Tomasz Adamek by whatever the hell he wants