World Boxing News 2010-2013

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Loss ends long-term professional relationship Former WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz has parted ways with trainer Danny Garcia after a working partnership that spanned five years, following his shock loss to Josesito Lopez. Ortiz, 25, suffered a double jaw-break in the contest that ended in the ninth round and Garcia explained in an interview yesterday that he and Ortiz no longer have the trust needed to continue the relationship. “I went to Victor’s house, me and my oldest son,” Garcia told Examiner.com. “We went to talk to him because I feel like he wasn’t doing the things that I told him to do, especially in the last fight against Josesito. He didn’t do the things that I told him to do. He did a little bit of the plan but some things he didn’t do right.” “It looks like he doesn’t have confidence in me, he doesn’t trust me.  I told him that ‘I don’t think I’m going to have confidence either; I don’t think I’m going to t...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Lopez claims hollow victory in California Victor Ortiz’s mental strength is under question yet again as the former WBC welterweight champion quit on his stool after nine rounds, despite being ahead 87-84 on my scorecard and with all three judges at The Staples Center. The 25 year-old, who has had his attitude quizzed on more than one occasion, claimed a broken jaw at the beginning of the round and may now see his WBC light-middleweight title bout against Saul Alvarez on September 15 scrapped. Ortiz had been on top for the most part in the fight and clearly had the superior power of the two fighters, with Lopez only having sparing success as the Riverside fighter clinched when hurt up close on many occasions. A punch to the back of the head by Ortiz saw the bout halted for a couple of minutes in the fifth and at that point it looked like the ‘Vicious’ one would take Lopez out in the mid-to-late rounds until the injury ended the fight prem...

Victor Ortiz v Josesito Lopez (welterweight) Staples Center, California, USA 12x3                                                                                                         Ortiz                              Lopez              -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------                  Round 1                           9                             10      ...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Californian promises shock on June 23 Josesito Lopez is ready to stun Victor Ortiz on June 23rd at the Staples Center and then challenge Saul Alvarez at the MGM Grand on September 15th for the WBC light-middleweight title. The 27 year-old, who lost out to Jessie Vargas last time out in a controversial ten-round split decision, is annoyed at Golden Boy for announcing Alvarez v Ortiz as he and 'vicious' Victor have unfinished business next week. “It just gives me more incentive. Like when football coaches put newspapers up on the players dressing room walls,” Lopez told World Boxing News. “When I beat Victor, I'll get the Canelo fight. That's the way it works. I'm really so happy to get this opportunity. It's like Rocky in his first movie. “But I have to take one fight at a time and I know that sounds boring. That’s the way I must focus.” Asked whether he will look for a rematch with Vargas in the future, Lopez ...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor American ready to regain the world title in 2012 Former WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz is just one step away from another crack at a coveted green belt and knows he must deal with Josesito Lopez on June 23rd before a 154lb title chance against Saul Alvarez.                                       The 25 year-old is ready to shine at the Staples Center next weekend as he warms up for his third world title bout at the MGM Grand and is thriving on the pressure of returning to the scene of his loss to Floyd Mayweather one year ago. “I love it. It pushes me from 110 percent to 120 percent,” Ortiz told World Boxing News. “I'm going to try and win the $100,000 best knockout bonus from Goldenboy and I'll use it to visit the United Kingdom.” Alvarez, 21, is a ...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor PPV event set for September 15 WBC light-middleweight champion Saul Alvarez has finally found a replacement for Paul Williams and James Kirkland for his maiden pay-per-view event on September 15th at the MGM Grand as Victor Ortiz will move up from 147lbs to face him in Las Vegas. The 21 year-old Mexican was forced to find an alternative on two occasions following a tragic motorcycle accident ruled out Paul Williams, who now faces a wheelchair bound future, and James Kirkland pulled out days after agreeing with a shoulder injury. The left Golden Boy with few options and they have now turned to former WBC welterweight king Ortiz, 25, who will have to come through Josesito Lopez on June 23rd in what could be his final fight at welterweight to finalize the deal with ‘Canelo.’ ‘Vicious’ Victor himself had to scout for a new foe after Andre Berto failed a drugs test earlier this year and the Kansas-born fighter now competes in h...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Former champion reveals suspicions Victor Ortiz is gearing up to face a new foe on June 23rd after the collapse of his rematch with Andre Berto following a failed drugs test and told LA Times re p orte r Lance Pugmire recently that he had his suspicions about his opponent in the run-up. Ortiz, 25, was filming a commercial shoot for Showtime with the former WBC and IBF champion to promote the fight and told a member of his team of his apprehension as both fighters went head to head in the promo. "I said, 'He's on something,' " Ortiz told Pugm ire .”Steroids are a bad thing, but you know, I didn't care. I was still willing to fight him. I'm not mad at him. He didn't deserve the fight, and now he's not getting it." The two fighters shared a pulsating six rounds of twelve in their first fight in April 2011 as the fight peated-out due to the ferocious pace that both fighters set and Ortiz’s grew suspici...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Former champion awaits June 23rd opponent Victor Ortiz has spoken exclusively to World Boxing News about the recent publicity surrounding Andre Berto’s failed drugs test as the Californian searches for a new opponent for the Showtime televised event on June 23rd. The former WBC welterweight champions were due to rematch next month following a ‘Fight of the Year’ contender in April last year, but the bout has now been scrapped after a VADA sample given by Berto came back positive. Ortiz, 25, is now left to pick up the pieces and find a new opponent as calling off the whole event was never an option for the 29-3-2 fighter, who has been out of the ring since losing his world title to Floyd Mayweather in September. “When my manager Rolando Arellano told me (about Berto’s failed test), I said five words. ‘I'm going to the gym,” Ortiz told World Boxing News. “Right now, my opponent is up to my promoters Golden Boy and my manager, but I wil...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Rematch looks doomed following steroid find Victor Ortiz is set to miss out on his second fight with Andre Berto on June 23rd at The Staples Center in California following his opponent’s positive drug sample for the banned steroid Nandrolone. The 25 year-old, who defeated Berto in one of the fights of 2011, is highly unlikely to get another opportunity to face Berto in the near future as an investigation is launched into how the sample failed the VADA test. A replacement for the contest, to be broadcast on Showtime, is a possibility and will become clear in the coming hours and days, but Berto will almost certainly play no part in next months scheduled bout. Berto, 28, faces a painstaking process to clear his name as is the seriousness of the steroid in question and it may be months before the former two-time welterweight champion gets back in the ring to fight again. Compatriot Lamont Peterson faces a similar fate following a positi...

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor ‘The Great’ aiming for big fights Former world light-welterweight king Devon Alexander would have no problem stepping to on June 23rd to face Victor Ortiz if Andre Berto’s injury rules him out of the welterweight clash. The Saint Louis stylist, who unified the 140lb divisions WBC and IBF titles in 2010, was responding to WBN’s recent interview with Victor Ortiz, who hinted that Berto may not be ready to face him in the summer. Ortiz, 25, who himself is a former WBC champion at 147lbs, also retorted to Alexander’s eagerness to meet the winner of the fight, believing that ‘The Great’ was a level below him and Berto in the pecking order at welterweight. Alexander told WBN that if an opening did come up to oppose Ortiz in June, then he would be more than willing to step in and take Berto’s place for the bout - touted to take place at The Staples Center. “I would definitely step in, without doubt, “ Alexander told World Boxing News. “I...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Welterweight contender says divide purse on merit Kansas-born southpaw Victor Ortiz is gearing up for a summer rematch with rival Andre Berto on June 23rd, but the found time to speak to World Boxing News about the ongoing Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao saga and Devon Alexander’s intentions to fight the winner of his return with the Haitian-American. Ortiz, 25, held the WBC 147lb title following his victory over Berto last April, before losing the belt following a hands-down knockout defeat to Mayweather. The California-based fighter has a solution to his former opponents argument over the purse split for his proposed super-fight with Manny Pacquiao and sees a straight-forward way to come to an amicable agreement. “This is what I think is a fair split. It should be easily answered by some simple mathematics,” Ortiz explained to World Boxing News. “Look at the last five fights for the two fighters and do a comparative analysis of ...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Light-middleweight would accept bout ‘In a heartbeat’ 31-0 light-middleweight contender Vanes Martirosyan has thrown his hat into the ring to replace the injured Andre Berto on February 11th after the former WBC welterweight champion was forced to withdraw from his rematch with Victor Ortiz with an injured bicep. The current WBC silver champion at 154lbs, Martirosyan, 25, is ticking over with a contest against veteran Troy Lowry on February 4th in San Antonio, Texas as he awaits a shot at Saul Alvarez - but has been vocal in his desire to oppose Ortiz at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas a week later instead. “I would step in right now if they asked me for Berto in a heartbeat,” Martirosyan told World Boxing News.  “Victor knows what happens when I hit him and I'll even go down to 147.” Ortiz, also 25, has now been left in limbo with just eleven days to go until he was due to rematch Berto live on Showtime and has already reitera...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Former champion retaliated for elbows Victor Ortiz has admitted that he head-butted Floyd Mayweather intentionally on Saturday night in Las Vegas in retaliation to a series of elbows by the new WBC welterweight champion. The 24 year-old, who dropped to 29-3-2 after being knocked out controversially by the undefeated Mayweather, told TMZ that he was frustrated that referee Joe Cortez did not act when he felt he was being fouled by his opponent. "I did the headbutt, but only because I told Cortez twice he used the elbow on my eyebrow," Ortiz explained. "I said, 'Cortez! Elbow, elbow!' and he says, 'fight out of it! and then Mayweather's smiling at me, so I was like, 'Alright. Boom!'" "I got deducted for the point and nothing happened to him from the headbutt. It would've been something else if I would've gashed him open.” Ortiz was then guilty of naivety as he apologised to May...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor 140lb champion backs Mayweather in OK debate Potential Floyd Mayweather opponent Timothy Bradley has thrown his weight behind the new WBC champion after watching the title fight unfold at the MGM Grand on Saturday night and believes Victor Ortiz got what he deserved. The 28 year-old, who currently holds the WBO light-welterweight title, is eyeing a future bout against ‘Money’ and believes that Ortiz’s head-butt was far worse the two blows Mayweather threw whilst Ortiz had his hands down. “I don’t see anything wrong with it,” Bradley told mydesert.com.  “Ortiz threw a cheap shot, so there you go. He got knocked out. “This is a dirty business. That’s why they say protect yourself at all times.” ‘Desert Storm’ himself has been accused of using his head in the past, something he denies as just in his style, but says there was no comparison between the two. “They say I head butt? You don’t see that in my fight,” explained ...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor New champion accuses interviewer of being unfair Floyd Mayweather and HBO interviewer Larry Merchant were involved in an after-fight exchange when the long-time presenter asked him about the controversial ending to his fight with Victor Ortiz. The 34 year-old seemed to hit Ortiz without referee Joe Cortez telling the fighters to box on as he deducted a point from the champion for a headbutt. Ortiz was subsequently knocked out following the blows and Merchant wanted to concentrate on that in the post-fight interview and even cut Mayweather off whilst he was thanking fans who ordered the PPV. ‘Money’ then told Merchant that ‘he never gives him a fair shake’ and that he should 'go and speak to Victor Ortiz' but Merchant confronted Mayweather stating ‘What are you talking about’ after which the argument got heated. ‘HBO need to fire you because you know s**t about boxing,” claimed Mayweather. “You ain’t sh**t. You’re not s**t.” ...

Floyd Mayweather v  Victor Ortiz ( WBC welterweight title ) MGM Grand, Las Vegas, USA 12x3                                                Mayweather                       Ortiz                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------                  Round 1                         10                                   9              -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------     ...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor ‘The Great’ in line for ranked challenge Former light-welterweight champion Devon Alexander is looking for a stern test in his first fight at 147lbs and will then hope to gain a shot at the WBC welterweight title in 2012 after learning that the World Boxing Council have ranked him at #2 in their new 147lb rankings list. The 24 year-old is ranked only behind Floyd Mayweather and current champion Victor Ortiz who meet each other in just over two weeks, leaving Alexander in the envious position of potentially meeting the winner after a warm-up bout at his new weight. “We are just relaxing, just got back in the gym so we taking one step at a time,” Alexander told World Boxing News. “I want a top ten fighter at 147 and as of last week I'm ranked number 2 in the WBC at 147 so I'm ready for whoever.” Saint Louis-born Alexander unified the 140lb division before losing his title in an uncharacteristically below-par performance against T...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor American fighter approves UK venue Five-weight world champion Floyd Mayweather seems certain to box in the United Kingdom before retiring from the sport after admitting to Golden Boy's Richard Schaefer that a fight at Wembley Stadium in London is something that the WBC welterweight title challenger wants in the near future. The 34 year-old meets belt holder Victor Ortiz next month in his first fight for sixteen months in Las Vegas and has been linked to a fight with WBA and IBF light-welterweight champion Amir Khan, 24, when the British fighter moves up to 147lbs next year. Mayweather’s co-promoter Richard Schaefer, who also promotes Khan, outlined the WBN pound for pound number three fighter’s plans at the London press conference to promote the Las Vegans upcoming bout ‘Star Power’ and believes a fight with Khan could be possible for November 2012 at the venue. "We are trying to locate a March date for Amir [when he moves up to 14...

Ashley Theophane http://ashleytheophane.com On Tuesday I was offered a slot on the undercard of Floyd Mayweather Jr’s long awaited comeback fight against WBC World champion Victor Ortiz. Floyd announced his comeback fight on his Twitter page at 12pm and a few hours later I was notified that Golden Boy Promotions had enquired if I was available to fight on September 17th, as part of the televised portion of the show. It was a huge opportunity and I was hoping for a big name – but when I was told Jessie Vargas, I turned it down instantly. To me it felt like it could have been the Danny Garcia fight all over again, with Vargas not having a world ranking and me having nothing to gain from a win, but everything to lose. The fight is over eight rounds and that was not appealing to me. But just to get the call that they wanted me on the show was a good feeling, as the event will be televised in one million homes across America. Unfortunately that alone does not make it I fight that...

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor Five-weight world champ to visit Britain for exhibition Future Hall of Famer Floyd Mayweather Jr is set to bring his preparations for his upcoming fight with WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz to Great Britain. The 34 year-old eight-time world champion takes on the new title holder in September at a venue yet o be decided and will make a visit to the UK one of his top priorities. ‘Money’ has made no secret in the past of his love for the UK fans and has posted tweets in the past weeks declaring his love for the European island. The Las Vegas resident is now planning to give his British fans a glimpse of one of the best pound for pound fighters in the world. “We’re getting a press tour together,” Mayweather told fighthype.com. “Me and Ortiz will be having a press conference in the UK and I will also be doing a training exhibition over there.” @FloydMayweather Floyd Mayweather My favorite fans in the world are in the UK. I love everyone in the UK. God...