Mayweather was making his much-anticipated return to the ring after yet another long layoff this time 16 months following his wipeout of Shane Mosley. Ortiz, 10 years younger than the 34-year-old Mayweather, won the lottery when he outpointed Andre Berto in April to win a welterweight title and landed the $2 million shot against Mayweather.
But few gave Ortiz, of Ventura, Calif., a serious chance to win unless the layoff and age had caught up to Mayweather, who was fighting in his adopted hometown, as usual.
Mayweather's age and the layoff did not show up at all. He was, as usual, brilliant. Put all the flamboyance, bragging, the flashing of money and jewels and tiresome rhetoric aside and Mayweather remains the best fighter in the world not named Manny Pacquiao, the one fighter Mayweather needs to face to secure his ultimate legacy. But on this night he was facing Ortiz, whom Mayweather had sat ringside to watch get knocked down twice by Berto but win. Mayweather then picked him to fight and, after a drama-filled promotion (at least on Mayweather's side, just watch HBO's "24/7") they met before 14,687 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Mayweather's regular venue. It was an Ortiz house, however, with most of the fans turning out to support the Mexican-American on the weekend of Mexican Independence Day.
It was clear from the outset that Ortiz was not on Mayweather's level. Mayweather used his speed, skills and a very accurate right hand to tag Ortiz repeatedly. Mayweather seemed in total control through three rounds and it looked as if he was on his way to yet another easy victory. Then things turned wild in the fourth round. Ortiz began to have his best success, landing a few shots and stinging Mayweather before bulling him into the corner. Then the fight devolved.
Ortiz rammed Mayweather in the face with an intentional head-butt, busting open a cut on the inside and outside of Mayweather's mouth. Referee Joe Cortez immediately called timeout and docked Ortiz a point for the blatant foul. Frankly, he would have been right to take two points. Ortiz seemed apologetic and even hugged and kissed Mayweather, who did not seem at all interested in forgiving him in the heat of the moment. Would you be if you had just had your face rammed by somebody's head in blatant rules violation?
Cortez motioned the fighters back together to resume the fight. Although he was looking away from the fighters, the fight was back on. Yet Ortiz was still trying to touch gloves with Mayweather, who instead unloaded a left and right to knock Ortiz out. Ortiz broke the cardinal rule of boxing protect yourself at all times. Mayweather, who took heat for a supposed sucker punch, did nothing wrong. Absolutely nothing wrong. Time was in, fight is on. This ain't checkers or golf. Ortiz made a rookie mistake and paid for it. It was his fault, not Mayweather's, and too bad for him. It would have never happened if Ortiz had not intentionally butted Mayweather, the action that led directly to the fight having to be stopped then restarted. Would it have been nice to see Mayweather perhaps show a little more sportsmanship? Sure, but boxing is a combat sport and he broke no rules. He won it fair and square and picked up his seventh world title covering five weight classes. Mayweather is often not that likeable (his rant against HBO's Larry Merchant after the fight was disgraceful and uncalled for), but he won the fight with legal punches. Period. He's back and, hopefully, won't go into another long layoff. And, hopefully, he will finally fight Pacquiao next if Pacquiao beats Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12. Whomever Mayweather fights next best be warned to keep their freakin' hands up.
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