Mayweather vs Ortiz on Primetime, Live Tonight!!

Primetime commentator Benny Ricardo has written an excellent in depth piece previewing Mayweather vs Ortiz, you can read it in full here: http://www.primetimelive.co.uk/news/boxing/benny-ricardo-on-mayweather-vs-ortiz/

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Age: Victor Ortiz is 24 and Mayweather is 34, but a young, fresh and other than the hands an unmarked 34 year old. Ortiz is a fighter in his prime with a mental state derived from overcoming tremendous obstacles in life.

Size: Victor Ortiz is taller at 1.75cm to Mayweather’s 1.73cm. Mayweather’s has never weighed more than 68.18 kilograms on the night of the fight. Ortiz weighed 72.6 kilograms the night of the Berto fight.

Reach: Mayweather has a reach of 183cm while Ortiz has a 178cm reach. You also have to measure elbows as nobody uses them better than Mayweather.

Activity: Mayweather has not fought since May 1st, 2010 while Ortiz fought Berto on April 16, 2011. Inactivity has never affected Mayweather as he trains every single day of his life and never lets himself get out of shape. If anything the long layoff might hurt Ortiz more as it has been over a year since he lost fought. Mayweather is used to inactivity and it does not affect him but instead preserves his hands.

Southpaw: Zab Judah and DeMarcus Corley were southpaws that despite having their moments were left on the losing end of Unanimous Decision wins by Mayweather. Ortiz is a southpaw with power in both hands and punches with conviction. He’s also the biggest man Mayweather will have ever faced in the ring and one mistake could prove disastrous for Mayweather. But then that’s why he lifts weights with his neck. Get ready for a lightning like quick chess game in the ring.

Speed: Mayweather is the fastest fighter I have ever seen, Sugar Ray Leonard and Duke McKenzie included. Ortiz is going to swat at air, get dust and some well planned elbows and shoulders. Mayweather is Baryshnikov in the ring pounding out a beating in a beautifully précised and brilliant manner. Ortiz can overcome Mayweather’s speed with his persistence.

Power: Victor Ortiz has knocked out 22 of his 29 opponents, Mayweather 25 of his 41 opponents. Mosley landed a monster shot in the second round that sent a ‘Mayday, Mayday’ warning to Mayweather’s brain. Ortiz lands a shot like that and ‘Pretty Boy’ Mayweather could be ‘Pretty Hurt’ Mayweather. Ortiz has the punch to end the evening with one punch. Mayweather does not have the power to end the night against Ortiz with one punch.

Motivation: Strange that we have to talk about this as it should be a given, but sometimes what a fighter seeks and how it plays itself out in the fight is so important for the outcome. Mayweather is motivated by $40 million reasons for this fight and the win sets up a $100 million reason fight with Pacquiao. So is there a danger of Mayweather looking past Ortiz, absolutely not! This is where inactivity actually helps Mayweather. He will be looking to test himself in all aspects of his game. Mayweather knows his body well and knows what to expect of it. For Ortiz this is the biggest purse of his life and he will be fighting in the biggest stage of his boxing life. Does he get caught up in it? Nah, Ortiz already survived the streets of Kansas at night looking for food and shelter for him and his brother while not even a teen yet. Ortiz is not just a power puncher, he beat Campbell by decision, so he can box and not be frustrated to not get a knockdown or knockout. Will Ortiz just be content with a good showing or will he fight like it’s his last chance on earth? He will bring it like it’s his last fight on earth. The “0” will never go, is the motivation for Mayweather and regardless if he loses the remaining of his fights in his career, he is a first ballot Hall of Famer, but his expectations of himself is to go in to the Hall with the “0” readily visible.

Styles: One is a brawler and one is a boxer. The brawler is a southpaw and the boxer is conventional in stance. Have you seen this before? Marvin Hagler was the Brockton Brawler fighting as a southpaw; Sugar Ray Leonard was the speed merchant who boxed out of his righty stance. Ortiz is the Southpaw Brawler and Mayweather is the lightning like boxing righty. Like Hagler, Ortiz is the bigger man, like Leonard, Mayweather is the quicker man and the thinking executioner patiently but quickly hitting his spots. Pick your punishment. Leonard totally neutralized Hagler’s power with footwork and speed of hands. Mayweather will have to do the same. Ortiz on the other hand can’t make the mistake that Hagler did and try to counter Leonard. Ortiz has to throw often towards Mayweather’s shoulder and get to his body.

Final Conclusion

Floyd Mayweather boxes his way to a decision is my conclusion. You will see Baryshnikov in the ring wearing boxing gloves and pounding Ortiz like he was a snare drum. Ortiz on the other hand is the odd man and the bigger man, a southpaw with power. But can the power land and at what point in the fight can it land. Forget past opponents it is all about the moment for Ortiz. On September 17th, Las Vegas and it’s bright lights will be powered by the electricity generated by Hoover Dam but no place will shine brighter than the MGM Grand and the mega watts of excitement a boxing encounter like this can generate. It can end at any moment or it can leave you dazzled with an artistic performance that bordered on beautiful and barbaric.

I love and watch sports because of the purity of the competition as it is the ultimate in reality. There is no script and we only think we know the outcome. But if I was a betting man, I would have no doubt that Mayweather wins this one and keeps the “O” in his record.

 

Amir Khan will be joining the Primetime studio team for the Star Power pay-per-view. Amir will be in the studio alongside Andy Kerr, Steve Bunce and Duke McKenzie. Commentary will be provided by Benny Ricardo and Wayne McCullough

 

Studio team are in London, commentary team are ringside in Vegas