BOXING: Ortiz out to prove he's not a quitter

Victor Ortiz was stopped in the sixth round by Marcos Maidana in a brutal fight in June 2009 at Staples Center.
Ortiz has gone 4-0-1 with three knockouts since then.
But Andre Berto still has a question about Ortiz's courage because of his body language at the time of the TKO loss to Maidana, which officially was stopped because of a cut over Ortiz's right eye and a black and blue lump under his left eye.
Berto, like some experts, isn't so sure Ortiz wanted to continue in that fight. Some have gone so far as to suggest Ortiz quit because after he hit the canvas for the second time in the fight in the sixth round, it appeared he perhaps wasn't so sure he wanted to go on.
Referee Raul Caiz made the decision to stop the fight on the advice of the ringside physician.
"What showed in the Maidana fight, maybe he feels like he has a lot more to prove and he's willing to die to prove it," said Berto, who will defend his welterweight world title against Ortiz tonight at Foxwoods in Mashantucket, Conn. (HBO). "I have a heart of a lion ... where it comes from, how I'm built.
"There's no question about my heart. I have to question his on everything from one situation. When he had to endure controversy, he didn't like to crack back. At the end of the day, you can't teach what beats in the chest.
"You either have it - heart - or you don't." Ortiz didn't help himself with his immediate postfight quotes in the
ring, where he said he is young and doesn't "deserve to get hit like that." To some, that sounded like he wanted out of the fight.

To Ortiz's credit, he has done and said all the right things since that fiasco.
He certainly didn't become a shrinking violet amid the criticism. He's now talking in brash tones about Maidana and Berto.
"He's running left and right dodging me," Ortiz said of Maidana during a recent conference call. "He sees me in his nightmares. When he gets the courage and comes out of the closet, we can meet me at 147."
Ortiz (28-2, 22 KOs) also said he "had just one slip-up against Maidana," with whom he tangled at 140. "That's the difference between then and now. If Maidana wants to end his career, he should move up to 147."
Ortiz gave Berto equal time.
"Berto has been talked about as the next thing," Ortiz said. "I don't agree. April 16 I must, and I will, bring back the belt."
On his strategy:
"Knock Berto out," Ortiz said.
What he'll do to win:
"I will go to the end of hell and back to get my belt."
That's the attitude fans want, but only if a fighter means it. And Berto doesn't sound like he's so sure about that.
"I caught the end of his conference call," Berto said. "It seems like they were gassing him up at camp. April 16 is going to be a reality check for him.
"They've been lying to him at training camp thinking this is going to be an easy fight. The ring is really a cold place to find that out. Like he said, the fight won't go the distance, only it's going to come out on our side."
This should be an entertaining fight. Berto has solid technique and better-than-average power. Ortiz is a southpaw with those same attributes.
"We need to make fights like this," said Lou DiBella, Berto's promoter. "Fans and the media have been receptive. Now you need to give people what they want and we will April 16th. We always try to make the best fights. The best fighter in the world, Floyd Mayweather, is not available.
"When was the last time Manny Pacquiao fought a fighter? He's been protected. (Promoter) Bob Arum will not put him in a fight like that, if he's making money."
DiBella especially likes what the big-talking Ortiz is doing.
"It's great to have Victor showing up confident and talking about hurting the champ," he said. "He won't and he won't win. It's good because it'll make an explosive fight."
One that will be won by Ortiz, said Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions.
"Those in the media who know Victor will know that he's hungry again, to prove what he is all about," Schaefer said. "I know we will have a new world champion on April 16. He has his heart set on it, and he will deliver." Speaking of heart, as long as Ortiz shows it he can win.......................NOT A CHANCE,BERTO BRUTAL BODY ATTACK & HAND SPEED WILL CONTINUE THAT TREND...........I WONDER WHAT HAPPENS AGAIN WHEN VICTOR SEES BLOOD RUNNING DOWN HIS EYES,WOULD HE PANIC AGAIN, WE SHOULD SEE IF HE GOT OVER THE QUITTER MENTALITY!!!