Immediately after any fighter between lightweight and middleweight wins a big fight these days, most throw out an almost obligatory series of challenges, many of which are usually directed at the biggest stars in the sport Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather.
Victor Ortiz to his credit didn’t begin challenging all and sundry after his victory over Andre Berto over the weekend, that is apart from some of his usual spiel about how former conqueror Marcos Maidana is scared of him.
Before long however discussion, both in the Golden Boy offices and amongst fight fans everywhere, will turn to who Ortiz will fight next.
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Undoubtedly some will speculate over whether or not Ortiz is ready to take on the likes of Pacquiao and Mayweather, although for the time being he remains an unlikely opponent.
On the face of things Ortiz vs. Mayweather would be an easy fight to put together. Ortiz is promoted by Golden Boy, Mayweather is co-promoted by Golden Boy, so the promotional issue is out of the way.
In this case however it could well be Golden Boy who are hesitant to put the fight together.
In Mayweather they have one of if not the most marketable fighter in the sport. His fights generate huge pay per view numbers and his place in the history books is all but assured.
He is also likely close to retiring (again), and only fights once per year these days.
Ortiz on the other hand is only 24, fights a lot more regularly and has the charisma and style to potentially become a big star in his own right in the future.
Putting him in for a likely loss against Mayweather then might be deemed not worth sacrificing the long term payoff of having him defend his title regularly.
Especially given the fact that Mayweather has never been overly keen on titles anyway and is beyond the stage where he needs one to assure his status in the rankings. Advertisement
From Mayweather’s point of view, there are also easier and more well known opponents out there that he could make more money against, meaning that Ortiz might not even be on Floyd’s radar.
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In the case of Manny Pacquiao, the simple fact that Ortiz is signed to Golden Boy and that Pacquiao is signed to Top Rank is probably the main thing that will almost certainly keep them apart.
The two promotional giants have been in a state of what many are calling open war for several years now, and have not worked together since Pacquiao’s 2009 bout with Ricky Hatton.
Since then the two companies have squabbled in the media through head honchos Bob Arum, Richard Schaefer and Oscar De La Hoya, criticized each others’ fighters and events, and in one case even attempted to sign a fighter later ruled to still be under contract with the other.
The prospect of Top Rank and Golden Boy working together again at some point in the future isn’t all that far fetched given that numerous other promotional feuds in history have eventually ended with both promoters working with one another again.
The two patching up their differences before Pacquiao retires in a couple of years isn’t so likely. Effectively making a meeting between Ortiz and Pacquiao impossible.
For Ortiz though, not taking on Pacquiao and Mayweather isn’t the end of the world.
His age, exciting style and charisma mean that he could well become a big draw in his own right over the next few years, and a loss to either of the big stars of today would only hold him back in the long run.
Peter Davis, Pitt: “Ortiz should offer Maidana a shot at his title, he mentions him in every interview he takes”
Sean Robinson, NY: “Floyd doesn’t want to fight anyway and Pac only fights who Arum tells him to, ie other Top Rank fighters”
