For more than two years now boxing fans have talked about, hoped for, and demanded a fight between arguably two of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world right: Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao. Instead, on September 17th, you're going to get Floyd Mayweather and Victor Ortiz. The tag line for this fight is "Starpower". HBO's going to regret they didn't reserve that one for a potential Mayweather-Pacquiao fight. They should have just called this one "Another Warm Up" or "What for?".
In May of last year we witnessed Floyd Mayweather tactically dismantle Shane Mosley, who, at the time, was still considered a top ranked fighter in his division, but nowhere near the top. A year later Mosely signed up to get a minor annihilation by Manny Pacquiao. In 2007 Mayweather scored two huge victories against future hall-of-famer Oscar de la Hoya, and, at the time one of the best in the world Ricky Hatton. They were both easy victories for Mayweather. Within the next year and a half Manny Pacquiao faced the same two fighters and also won convincingly.
Why has boxing not figured this one out yet and why can't either camps get this deal done? For the last two years fight fans have had to endure through meaningless bouts between less than contending talents who get slaughtered by either Mayweather or Pacquiao. Some of those fights were more competitive than others, but for the most part they were completely one-sided.
On September 17th, Mayweather fights an up-and-comer named Victor Ortiz. Who? Ortiz! Casual boxing fans probably have never even heard of him, but even avid followers would only remember him as the guy who was on his way to boxing stardom, only to have that trek halted by a rather unexpected defeat to the hands of Marcos Maidana. "Marcos who?" your asking. I don't remember either.
Right about now Victor Ortiz is getting just about the same level of interest and respect from me as he is getting from everyone else, and that's next to none. Can you blame me? Ortiz has not proven himself. His last fight, albeit a victory over Andre Berto (a strong contender in the welterweight division) was probably his first big win ever in his fighting career. Now all of a sudden he gets a free ride to stardom and a high purse by fighting "Money" Mayweather? How does that work?
Anyhow, Ortiz, despite his somewhat recent defeat to the hands of a relative no name and lack of big fight experience, is still a very dangerous fighter. They call him "Vicious Victor" and he's got quick hands and some punching power. Only thing is Floyd also has incredible hand speed and punching power along with uncanny accuracy and an unpredictable tempo. Ortiz has lost twice. Mayweather has yet to lose. I swear, every time they announce a Mayweather or Pacquiao fight that doesn't include the other I become a little less of a boxing fan. The possibility of that fight and the hype that surrounded it for so long is soon to diminish. It would be a terrible shame if it never happened.
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