Victor Ortiz: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 18:07, 17 April 2011
Victor Ortiz | |
|---|---|
 Victor Ortiz media workout at Westside Boxing Club in LA on June 24, 2009 | |
| Born | January 31, 1987 Garden City, Kansas, U.S. |
| Nationality |  American |
| Other names | "Vicious" |
| Statistics | |
| Weight(s) | Welterweight |
| Stance | southpaw |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 33 |
| Wins | 29 |
| Wins by KO | 22 |
| Losses | 2 |
| Draws | 2 |
| No contests | 0 |
Victor Ortiz (born January 31, 1987, Garden City, Kansas) is a Mexican-American professional boxer and the current WBC Welterweight Champion.[1] He was named 2008 ESPN Prospect of the Year.[2]
Early life
Ortiz was born and raised in Garden City, Kansas, the second of three children of Mexican immigrant parents. When he was seven years old, Ortiz's mother abandoned his family for a relationship with another man. Shortly thereafter, Ortiz began boxing at the Garden City Boxing Club at the insistence of his father, an alcoholic who often beat his children following his wife's departure.[3] In an interview Victor said "I hated that lady. I drew her a card once with a little rose on it and I gave it to her. She just threw it down and said 'What do I want that shit for?' That's when I picked up boxing. Then my Dad started screwing up, drinking."[4]
His father also abandoned the family five years after their mother left, which forced Ortiz and his five siblings into the Kansas foster care system. Ortiz was ten years old at the time.[5] When he won the Kansas Golden Gloves championship, he was dealing drugs (ecstasy and marijuana). Then Ortiz saw his image in the newspaper after winning the Golden Gloves and it moved him. "The photo came out all over Kansas and that's when it hit me... I realized that I didn't need to be involved with selling drugs in order to make something of myself. I said screw this. I don't need all this crap or this guilt", Ortiz said. His older sister would become a legal adult in 2002 and moved to Denver, Colorado. Ortiz and his younger brother left Kansas and moved in with her.[6]
Amateur career
While training at a Salvation Army Red Shield Community Center,[7] he was noticed by former heavyweight boxing contender Ron Lyle, who had become a supervisor at the center. In 2003, Lyle guided Ortiz to a Junior Olympics tournament, where, at the age of sixteen, he won the 132-pound weight division with a perfect 5-0 record. This time, he was noticed by another former boxer, Roberto Garcia, who had held the IBF Super Featherweight Championship during the 1990s and whose father was the trainer of Fernando Vargas.[8]
Move to Oxnard
Though Garcia was based in Oxnard, California, he offered to train Ortiz, who accepted and moved from Colorado to California, where he began training at Oxnard's famous La Colonia Youth Boxing Club. Garcia later became Ortiz's legal guardian, and Ortiz graduated from Pacifica High School. At age seventeen, Ortiz reached the United States Olympic boxing trials in the 132-pound weight class, where he was eliminated in the final stages. (The weight class was instead won by Vicente Escobedo.)
Ortiz turned professional later in 2004 while still only seventeen years of age. When he reached the age of eighteen in 2005 and became a legal adult, he gained custody of his younger brother, who is now a college student. Ortiz continues to reside in Oxnard, California.[9][10][11]
He was trained by five trainers who all worked together to get him ahead in his boxing career. His original trainers included Ignacio "Buck" Avilia, Manuel Rios, Antonio Orozco Sr., Juan M. Aldana Jr., and Alfred Ritz. He won the Ringside National Title in 2001 and 2002 and the National Jr. Olympics in 2002.[citation needed]
Professional career
After turning professional, Ortiz easily won his first seven fights against weak opposition. However, on June 3, 2005, Ortiz was controversially disqualified in the first round of a bout against unknown Corey Alarcon in Oxnard. After having already knocked Alarcon down once in the round, Ortiz knocked him down again shortly after referee David Denkin ordered the fighters to separate from a clinch. Alarcon stayed down for the count, and was awarded the fight based on Denkin's judgment that Ortiz's knockout punch had been an illegal punch during a break.[12]
Following the fight with Alarcon, Ortiz continued to win and had built a record of 18-1-1 as of August 30, 2007, when he fought his first well-known opponent, Emmanuel Clottey of Ghana, in only his second bout scheduled for ten rounds. Ortiz defeated Clottey by technical knockout in the tenth and final round.[13] Three months later, Ortiz followed up on his victory with another knockout win, this time in the first round of a ten-round bout against former junior welterweight titlist Carlos Maussa of Colombia.[14]
On September 13, 2008, Ortiz fought his first bout scheduled for twelve rounds, against Roberto David Arrieta of Argentina. Ortiz knocked Arrieta down in the second, fourth, and fifth rounds, and won by technical knockout in the fifth round.[15] At the end of 2008, ESPN named Ortiz the boxing prospect of the year.
On March 7, 2009, Ortiz fought his first bout televised on HBO World Championship Boxing against Mike Arnaoutis of Greece, who had fought top-ten junior welterweight contenders such as Juan Urango, Ricardo Torres, and Kendall Holt without ever having been knocked out.[16] However, Ortiz scored a technical knockout of Arnaoutis in the second round, winning the USBA title and retaining the WBO NABO title.[17]
On June 27, 2009, Ortiz faced Marcos Rene Maidana (25-1-0) of Argentina in Los Angeles for the interim WBA World light welterweight title. Ortiz entered the fight with an eight-fight knockout streak.[18] Maidana for his part, is a dangerous puncher, having won 25 of his 26 previous bouts by knockout with the only blemish on his record being a close split decision loss to WBA champion Andriy Kotelnik.[19] Both Ortiz and Maidana were knocked down in the first round. Ortiz knocked Maidana to the canvas twice in the second round. Ortiz suffered a cut in the 5th round and was knocked down in the 6th round. The fight was stopped after Ortiz was taken to the ringside doctor where it was ruled he could no longer continue due to the swelling in one eye and the deep cut in the other. The interview given by Max Kellerman didn't help his cause where he declared "I don't deserve this".[20]
Comeback
Before the Maidana fight Ortiz fired Roberto Garcia and Garcia's father. Ortiz expressed how the Garcias constantly humiliated him through derogatory speech but would then hire Garcia's brother Danny.[21] After recovering from a broken wrist and switching trainers, Ortiz announced his return fight would be on HBO Boxing After Dark.[22][23] On December 12, 2009, Ortiz bounced back from the defeat he suffered vs Maidana to stop the former IBA Light Welterweight champion Antonio Díaz, who failed to answer the bell for seventh round.[24] Ortiz then fought Hector Alatorre on February 25, 2010 winning by TKO in the tenth and final round.
Ortiz vs. Campell
Ortiz was victorious in a unanimous decision victory over Nate Campbell on May 15 at Madison Square Garden on the Undercard of Khan vs Malignaggi bout.[25]
Ortiz vs. Harris
On September 18, 2010 Victor faced former WBC and WBA Light Welterweight Champion Vivian Harris on the Shane Mosley vs. Sergio Mora undercard at Staples Center.[26] He was on ESPN's SportsNation to promote the fight with Harris.[27] Ortiz knocked Harris down three times in the second round en route to a knock out win with :45 seconds left in the third round.[28]
Ortiz vs. Peterson
On the undercard of Amir Khan vs. Marcos Maidana, Ortiz faced former title challenger Lamont Peterson on December 11 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. One judge scored the bout a win for Peterson with the other two remaining judges scoring the bout a draw, the fight will go down on record as a draw. This was despite those who were in attendance saying that Ortiz clearly won the fight.[29]
Ortiz vs. Berto
Ortiz fought Andre Berto for the WBC welterweight title on April 16, 2011 at the Foxwoods Resort Casino, Mashantucket. Hailed as the early pick for the fight of the year Ortiz won the fight by unanimous decision over Berto, knocking him down twice in the 1st and 6th round, and being knocked down twice himself in the 2nd and 6th round.
Boxing Style
Ortiz is a right-hander who nevertheless chooses to fight from a southpaw stance. Ortiz has stated, "I’m naturally right-handed. Everything I do is right-handed. My power is just built on my left hand, somehow. Fighting left-handed was just more comfortable for me. I was just a better boxer that way. My defense was better, I didn’t get hit as much. I just developed myself into a left-hander. I don’t even like to switch to right-handed."
Professional record
References
- ^ Mier, Saul (2007-12-28). "Victor's Biography". Box Rec. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Rafael, Dan (2008-12-29). "Ortiz primed for a breakout '09". ESPN. Retrieved 2010-05-16.
- ^ Falgoust, Michael (2009-06-22). "Rising boxing star Victor Ortiz started at bottom". USA Today. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Borges, Ron (2009-06-26). "Ortiz has had been to be "Vicious"". The Sweet Science. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Escobedo, Thomas (2010-06-14). "Victor also fought Foster Care". Boxing News 24. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Songalia, Ryan (2008-04-15). "Family doesn't stop Boxer". Boxing Scene. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Mier, Francisco (2008-05-28). "The Red Shield Boxing". Salvation Army. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Satterfield, Lem (2010-12-09). "Garcias and Victor Split". Fan House. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Holloman, Ray (2009-07-03). "Victor Ortiz, Somehow With a Smile". Boxing FanHouse. Retrieved 2010-05-16.
- ^ Gonzalez, Ralph (2009-01-06). "TSS Prospect Watch: Victor Ortiz". The Sweet Science. Retrieved 2010-05-16.
- ^ Pugmire, Lance (2007-11-08). "He's his own man". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-05-16.
- ^ Folstad, Rick (2007-01-18). ""Vicious" featured with Cordova". The Sweet Science. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Frake, Scott (2007-08-31). "Ortiz Stops Clottey In 10th Round". EastSide Boxing. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Hurley, Matthew (2007-11-10). "Knock Out of Maussa". EastSide Boxing. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Luevanos, Fernando (2008-10-12). ""Vicious" vs. Arrieta". Box Rec. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ "Ortiz Stops Mike Arnaoutis". Bleacher Report. 2009-03-29. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Vester, Mark (2009-03-07). "Victor makes quick work of Arnaoutis". Boxing Scene. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Pugmire, Lance (2009-06-27). "Victor Ortiz fills void left by Oscar De La Hoya". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Blackwell, Brian Kenneth (2009-06-27). "Victor Ortiz vs Marcos Maidana Pre-Fight Analysis". Boxing News 24. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Christ, Scott (2009-06-28). "Can Victor Ortiz rebound?". Bad Left Hook.
- ^ Hernandez, Francisco (2010-03-20). "Tragedy of "Vicious" Ortiz". Boxing News 24. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Thomas, Eric (2009-11-05). "Ortiz sets new path". Boxing News 24. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Mulei, Alessandro (2009-06-01). "Victor: I will be a world champion". Fight Fan. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Paras, Matthew (2010-05-16). "Ortiz TKOs Antonio Diaz". EastSide Boxing. Retrieved 2010-06-26.
- ^ Rafael, Dan (2010-05-16). "Ortiz outhustles Campbell to earn nod". ESPN. Retrieved 2010-05-16.
- ^ http://www.boxingnews24.com/2010/08/saul-alvarez-vs-carlos-baldomir-victor-ortiz-vs-vivian-harris-on-mosley-mora-undercard-on-september-18th
- ^ ESPN rofile of Ortiz
- ^ Fight vs. Vivian Harris
- ^ http://www.boxingnews24.com/2010/10/victor-ortiz-vs-lamont-peterson-on-december-11th/
External links
- Victor Ortiz Fight-by-Fight Career Record
- Victory: A Boxer's Story (Short Documentary Film about Victor Ortiz - 2005)
- Promoter page
- BoxingInsider.com interview with Vicious Victor Ortiz
- Victor Ortiz Audio Interview With Fans
- Victor Ortiz on X
- Boxing record for Victor Ortiz from BoxRec (registration required)