Vicious Fight

Last nigh Victor Ortiz proved something to everybody, his hype was justified. Ortiz proved all his doubters wrong by beating the previously unbeaten Andre Berto. The victory alone would not have quieted his doubters, the way he won did. Ortiz went out and proved himself a star in the boxing game. He was determined, tough, and yes... Vicious. Ortiz came out strong in the first round, imposing his will on Berto. Ortiz knocked down Berto twice in the first round, although only one was counted. He maintained his pace throughout the early rounds, and hurt a visibly tired Berto. Berto however was strong enough to knock down Ortiz in the second round, though Ortiz's footwork contributed to the fall. The biggest test came in the sixth round for Ortiz. Berto came out of his corner with renewed energy and applied pressure on Ortiz. Berto hit Ortiz with thunderous shots, and even knocked Ortiz down with a beautiful hook. At this point, I was having flashbacks to the Marcos Maidana fight that sent Ortiz on a career whirlwind. In that fight, the sixth round was also his undoing. Ortiz lost the first two minutes, and forty five seconds of the round. But, rounds are three minutes long. Ortiz used the last fifteen seconds to knock Berto down, and make the round a draw. From that point on Ortiz continued his relentless effort. Ortiz won the WBC Welterweight Championship, and instantly became a star in the division. Boxing experts are already talking about a Manny Pacquiao, or Floyd Mayweather showdown. I would prefer for Ortiz not to fight these guys at this stage in his career. I for one would love to see a Marcos Maidana rematch, giving Ortiz further opportunity to erase his past. Whatever fights are in Ortiz's future, they should definitely be as a welterweight. He seems natural at that weight, and his power plays nicely there. Last night Ortiz made Mexicans proud, and he should continued for many years down the road.