Boxing took a pounding on Friday night. The too-much-hyped championship contest between Floyd Mayweather and Victor Ortiz went down in pugilistic infamy at the end of the fourth round.
With only seconds remaining in that stanza, Ortiz had "Money" Mayweather on the ropes and intentionally head-butted him. Referee Joe Cortez deducted a point. The embarrassed Ortiz literally kissed and hugged Mayweather to express his regret. Though Ortiz claims he did not hear him, Cortez instructed the boxers to resume the action and once again "Vicious Victor" went to touch gloves. Mayweather leaned forward as if to do the same and then turned over a left hook. In that instant, a shocked Ortiz made the mistake of turning his head to the ref in protest and just as he did, Mayweather hammered him with a booming right to the chin, turning the black lights on the young fighter and ending the contest.
Most of the crowd at the MGM booed in protest at the advantage that Mayweather had taken. Debates raged all over Las Vegas and I suppose throughout the nation. No one, including Ortiz, questioned the legality of Mayweather's stealthy move. The new champion defended himself saying that he had been fouled and that fighters are endlessly told "protect yourself at all times."
Mayweather's defenders rightly contend that Ortiz was fighting dirty. There were millions upon millions at stake. And they pressed, What would have happened if Floyd got a cut from the headbutt and the bout had to be stopped? Furthermore, Floyd's actions were perfectly legal and Ortiz should have known better. And that is a fact, since Mayweather did something similar to Sugar "Shane" Mosely when he went to touch gloves once too often.
Many in both camps are quick to add that Joe Cortez could have done a much better job of handling the incident. He seemed to be somewhere else as the fighters came together -- but again, Mayweather supporters insist that Floyd "did what he had to do." In other words, as long as you win within the rules nothing could be wrong. Right?
Wrong!
In every sport there are formal as well as informal rules. In football it is, for example, perfectly legal to viciously block an opponent who is miles away from the action of a play. Those who know the gridiron game call that a "cheap shot." There are informal rules in boxing as well. Touching gloves is way that one fighter apologizes to another for hitting low or on the break. Now and then an enraged boxer will refuse to accept the apology. Sometimes a boxer will touch gloves and later reciprocate with a foul in kind, and that can be within the informal rules. However, I have seldom seen a boxer pretend to accept the glove of regret, and then strike his opponent.
It would have been one thing if Mayweather simply lost his temper and punched as the ref tried to separate them, but his last two blows certainly appeared calculated and for that reason I believe it was a sin against the craft that Mayweather has clearly perfected.
There were great divisions between boxing writers after the fight. One told me, "In boxing it is kill or die." But that may be so in a street fight, but boxing is a sport, with a long history and well articulated rules.
I train boxers and I would have been profoundly disappointed if one of my fighters pulled such a stunt. Sportsmanship is as much a part of the bruising arts as it is in other sports. As I argued in the Wall Street Journal article "Why Boxing is Worth Fighting For," (Sept.17) boxing should build character as well as muscle, and though it worked, Mayweather's final salvo was anything but a lesson in character building.
True, most of the young people whom I work with are amateurs. They are not fighting for 70 million dollars. But despite what "Money" and millions of others seem to think, there really are more important things than money in life.
FM mentioned earlier that VO was not ready for this moment and the atmosphere and those words proved right. Where was the fire and anger and the demand for a rematch from VO? There was none, there was only a smiling face staring into the camera with that look that wanted to say, "I just want to say hello mom and to all my fans watching."
Also, I watched the film for the first time again last night and have changed my view of one thing. I don't think Floyd was anywhere near as dominant as I thought he was on first few. One judge gave him round one, Lederman had him taking two, and I thought he was coming on in the fourth. Floyd was landing the right but it was hardly rocking Ortiz. Ortiz needed to fight FM inside and when he did that Floyd looked none to comfortable. Also, as for the three headbutts, Ortiz was warned to watch his head twice but there was nothing flagrant there. The real headbutt was insane. Floyd hit a defenseless man. Legal or not, it is a punk move.
Sorry to go off but as I mentioned it is the first time I have seen the fight in a week.
According to this article, Cortez says there were no verbal instructions to resume, only a hand signal. I watched it 3 times that night and If a hand gesture was used, it must have been between Mayweather's first & second punch because Cortez wasn't looking when the first punch was thrown.
Ortiz was poorly coached by his manager, trainer and corner. Mayweather is only about winning and preserving his unbeaten streak. He is no different than his dad, Floyd, Sr. or his uncles, Jazzy Jeff and Roger. And his past fights have shown a willingness to do whatever he deemed necessary to gain an edge over his opponent and then win. He should have been instructed to keep his guard up and be alert to tricks.
As it was, distasteful as Mayweather and his latest victory are, it was a legal hit and Ortiz went from being a legitimate threat to unseat Floyd, Jr., to becoming his tomato can.
Great way to lower the integrity a little bit.
I would have liked to see the fight go to the end but Ortiz was butting Floyd every time they got close. Look at the videos again and watch what Ortiz did whenever they clinched. Floyd worked hard to keep Ortiz's head on the left side of his face for every time Ortiz got his head on the right side of Mayweather's face he first raked him with his forehead and then butted him. Look at it, it is there for all to see. It is a move taught to some fighters and Ortiz seemed to be good at it. He was even warned about it. Rematch anyone?
He was warned once and then got a point deduction.
I don''t think a rematch is in order. FM was dominating the fight. And whatever problems I have with Floyd's sportsmanship, I have to confess that I can't believe that Ortiz took the sucker left hook and didn't go to battle-- but instead looked to the ref. Thanks.
http://thelionwords.wordpress.com/2011/09/18/floyd-mayweather-vs-his-legacy/
My guess is that the writer is attempting to suggest that the informal demands as much consideration as the formal.
What would you imagine Ortiz's next opponent is going to work on?
What do you think was going on in Ortiz's head? An overdose of Evander Holyfield tapes?
http://www.sportscottage.com
And I see plenty of class and nobility in boxing - check out the Morales Cano fight- just because the sport is brutal does not mean it can't be carried out with nobility. Thanks
Ortiz will recover from getting knocked on his behind and not attempting to get up, but the headbutt is gonna follow him like "no mas".