The Victor Ortiz that is about to debut at 147 pounds looks the same as the Victor Ortiz that fought at 140 pounds, but he sounds a whole lot different.
Last Wednesday during a press conference to promote his upcoming bout against WBC welterweight champion Andre Berto, the normally energetic and charming Ortiz continuously struck a different tone — a more vicious one.
“It wasn’t until last fight…it was one of those things in the end I felt like a piece of gum on the bottom of somebody’s shoe,” Ortiz said to a room full of dining media members.
Ortiz, of course, was referring the criticism he faced following his ten round majority draw with Lamont Peterson last December. It was a fight that saw Ortiz knock Peterson down on two separate occasions, and it was a fight that many, including myself, thought Ortiz deserved to win despite his ghostly act in the latter rounds.
Immediately following that fight, which was televised on HBO as the featured undercard bout for the Amir Khan-Marcos Maidana main event, Ortiz spoke to the media at the post fight press conference.
His opening remarks were, “First off, let me just say that I’m just blessed to be here. I had fun tonight.” He continued on, “The results weren’t quite what I was expecting and I disagree with them…Amir and Maidana had a great fight and it was close, but mine wasn’t as close, I don’t think. But hey I have nothing to say. I thought I pulled it off.”
Ortiz went on to talk a bit more about his fight, crack some jokes about Harry Potter, and he thoughtfully closed his portion of the press conference by wishing members of the media a Merry Christmas.
But that was then, and this is now.
It’s no secret that Ortiz has gone through some very public growing pains — specifically his loss to the aforementioned Maidana in March 2009. Combine the criticism he received after that fight with the equally harsh words that followed the draw with Peterson, and suddenly Ortiz is singing a different tune.
“I’m tired of this ‘Oh, he’s got no heart, he’s got no balls,’…the list [of criticism] goes on and on and on,” Ortiz said last Wednesday.
Minutes earlier, when speaking with 15rounds.com, Ortiz said, “I’ve gone through enough rough patches these last two years. I think it’s a very unfair thing how everyone just criticizes me and treats me. So as far as I’m concerned, I’m done playing that nice role, always trying to please everyone. It gets you nowhere.”
And to that point, I think Ortiz has an argument. Unfortunately in the boxing business The Golden Rule of treating others as you wish to be treated doesn’t apply.
When Ortiz spoke last Wednesday, in many cases he did so with his signature smile. However, it was evident that behind that smile hid frustration and disappointment towards his critics.
In many ways, the move up to 147 for Ortiz can serve as a fresh start — a start that if all goes according to plan would see him leave the MGM Grand at Foxwoods with the WBC welterweight title in tow. That would
“You know what, it’s kind of one of those things where if everyone at 140 is scared to fight you, why stick around? So I moved up to 147,” Ortiz said of his decision to climb one rung up the divisional ladder. “They say Andre Berto is the best [at 147]. I disagree.”
Unlike most of Berto’s previous fights, the outcome of this one is not predetermined, Perhaps that’s why it’s an intriguing bout. Although Berto is the clear favorite to retain his title, Ortiz has some pop in his hands. He put Maidana down three times in during scrap and more recently he floored Peterson twice. Couple Ortiz’s punching power with the relatively untested chin of Berto and we may get a memorable fight in just a few weeks time.
Even though Ortiz spoke in a different tone last week, one thing remained constant — and that was his confidence.
“Alright, hey, it’s my turn,” Ortiz said. “I know I’m against tough opposition. Andre Berto is no chump. He’s the champ for a reason. But April 16th, I’m changing that.”
All of us who love boxing look forward to watching him try.
Kyle Kinder can be found on Twitter.com/KyleKinder or KyleKinder1@gmail.com
Photo by Claudia Bocanegra