When Will Victor Ortiz Get a Title Shot?
Until last year, Victor Ortiz was on the fast track to a world title shot. However, one bad bout changed all of that. Ortiz’s loss to Marcos Maidana in June 2009 did more than give him a significant setback in his career. It also caused many boxing experts to question his toughness, focus and dedication to the sport.
However, Ortiz (27-2-1, 20 KOs) has found a way back from the brink and managed to turn his career around after the loss to Maidana. He has won his last three fights including a make-or-break bout against Nate Campbell on May 15 on the undercard to the Amir Khan’s American debut. This victory has put him back into the title chase after moving back down to junior welterweight after having his last two fights at welterweight.
Ortiz was on the brink of a big title fight when he stepped into the ring against Maidana. Early on, it looked like Ortiz would walk over Maidana, who was fighting for the first time in America. Ortiz came into the fight having knocked out his last eight opponents and it looked like he would make Maidana victim number nine early in the first round. Maidana would return the favour and knock Ortiz down at the end of the round. Ortiz dropped Maidana again the second round but couldn’t put him away. Maidana took control of the fight with his power punching, eventually ending it when a cut and bruised Ortiz quit in the fight in the sixth round.
Ortiz later admitted that his head wasn’t in the fight from the start and it showed in the ring. However, he bristled at the other accusation from some critics – that he quit during the fight and showed his lack of heart. According to them, Ortiz began to look for an easy way out of the fight once he realized just how hard Maidana hit. The sight of Ortiz’s handsome face – one reason he is frequently compared to his mentor Oscar de la Hoya – being turned into a bloody mess by Maidana’s hard punches might have even secretly pleased some of his critics.
One group of people who didn’t feel that Ortiz quit in the ring were his fellow boxers. Ortiz received notes and words of encouragement from some of the biggest names in the sport including de la Hoya, Shane Mosley and Manny Pacquiao. They understood that even great fighters have bad nights and that someone with Ortiz’s talent shouldn't be tossed away because they lost to a quality opponent. The fact that Maidana went on to earn a share of the junior welterweight world title proves that Ortiz lost to a quality opponent.
Ortiz earned the praise from earlier in his career for several reasons beyond just his looks and charisma. He is a very skilled fighter who can move well and punch with power – a unique combination within the division. Ortiz began working with star trainer Freddie Roach after the loss to Maidana and Roach has improved Ortiz’s defence and mental approach to the sport. Against Campbell, Ortiz stuck to his game plan and refused to be too aggressive in trying to score a flashy knockout against the former world champion.
So when will Ortiz get a title shot? It doesn’t look like it will happen in his next fight. Several media reports have suggested that he’ll be taking part in a non-title fight on the undercard of the Shane Mosley vs. Sergio Mora card at the Staples Center in Los Angeles this fall. One name that has been mentioned is former world champion Vivian Harris. If he can beat two former world champions in a row, it will be tough for Ortiz to not get a title shot by the end of 2010 or early 2011.
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