Floyd Mayweather Jr made his re-entrance into boxing with a victory over Victor Ortiz in controversial circumstances at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The fight started slowly, with each fighter landing under 20 punches in the first round. Ortiz came out throwing straight lefts while Floyd landed a right hook. Ortiz threw a flurry to the body of Floyd while the “Money” man had his back against the ropes.
Floyd landed a glancing left hook to the head of Ortiz in the second. Ortiz landed a left. Floyd caught Ortiz with a right hook to the head as the man from Oxnard came forward. Victor caught Floyd with a left moments later but the challenger managed to keep his man at a distance, landing a couple of rights to his head. Ortiz rushed Floyd to the ropes and attempted to land something meaningful but was unsuccessful.
Another hook to the head from Floyd found it’s way home to Ortiz’s head as he came forward once again in the third. Ortiz tried to find a way in and Mayweather managed to land two rights during the process. In the final twenty seconds of the round, Ortiz landed a left hook lead and another left as the bell sounded.
The fourth and final round saw Floyd start rapidly, as he threw flurries to the head and body of Ortiz but the champion had his guard held high. Ortiz came out of his shell and rushed Floyd to the ropes once again, but this time landed a right hook. Floyd shook his head as if to say he wasn’t hurt and scored with a right hook to the head as Ortiz backed away. The controversial moment in the bout soon came as Ortiz tried his luck again with Floyd pinned to the ropes, throwing everything but the kitchen sink. Suddenly, Ortiz butted Mayweather, causing a cut on the inside of Floyd’s lip. Victor immediately realised this mental and physical error and hugged Floyd, sending apologies his way. Referee, Joe Cortez deducted a point from the then current WBC belt holder and Victor, once again, hugged Floyd, but at this point Floyd tried to push Ortiz away. Ortiz, perhaps suffering a mental blockage from continuing combat, was hit with a left and right hook combination that sent him down and unable to beat the count.
“I just wanted to tell the people who bought the Pay Per View and the ones who came out here to Vegas, thank you”, Mayweather said.
When questioned about the conclusion of the bout, Floyd stated, “You are meant to protect yourself at all times. We were both dirty. If he wants a rematch then he can get one.”
HBO commentator and interviewer, Larry Merchant continued his questioning when Mayweather Jr suddenly broke into a rage, telling Merchant that he knew nothing about boxing and flung other insults his way. Larry, always one to personally and publically stand up for his position and person, told Floyd that he would “kick his ass” if he were fifty years younger.
Tonight’s fight was certainly more entertaining than this writer expected, even if for the wrong reasons.
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