In what many are considering a “controversial win,” pro boxer Floyd Mayweather claimed the WBC welterweight title after (literally) knocking Victor Ortiz OUT at the end of the fourth round of the big Mayweather vs. Ortiz fight in Las Vegas Saturday night (Sep 17).
After a quiet opening, the fight burst into life in the fourth round with Ortiz getting Mayweather on the ropes without quite being able to find a decisive blow. Just before the bell Ortiz had Mayweather on the ropes for a third time, only to be penalized for a head-butt.
The 24-year-old then seemed to be apologizing and was not protecting himself as Mayweather landed two punches – the second a big right hand – to end the fight. [DM]
Immediately after the fight, Mayweather got into another fight — a non-physical one, of course — with HBO reporter Larry Merchant after Merchant tried to press the championship boxer about his controversial victory.
“You never give me a fair shake. HBO needs to fire you, you don’t know sh*t about boxing! You ain’t sh*t!” Mayweather shouted at the 80-year-old HBO sports commentator, who responded back by saying “I wish I was 50 years younger and I’d kick your ass!” with a smart chuckle.
Speaking at a press conference following the fight, Mayweather continued to explain his side of the story.
“I was always told to protect yourself at all times,” he said. “My mouth was split open. I said keep it clean. Once you touch gloves, it is go time. We came together to fight. It is fight time.”
He continued, “You want to do me dirty and then two minutes later you want to be my friend? This is the hurting business. Without the fourth round, he was going to get knocked out anyway. I was fighting stronger. I was keeping my composure and sticking to the game plan.”
“Floyd Mayweather isn’t ducking and dodging anybody. If he wants it, he can have a rematch,” Mayweather confidently stated, offering a rematch.
For his part, Ortiz said of headbutting his opponent Floyd Mayweather: “I fouled Floyd, I apologised in the ring and apologised after the fight as well. I would really like the rematch. I thought the ref (Joe Cortez) called a break and I am pretty sure he did and then I was like ‘whoa, whoa,’ and then I woke up after.”
After this weekend’s win in Las Vegas, Floyd Mayweather currently holds an unbeaten record of 42 fights.
Now that that’s out of the way … what about that Manny Pacquiao fight Mayweather??? (LOL!)
