As the Star Power Pay-Per-View draws closer we sat down with Britain?s favourite boxing pundit Steve Bunce to get his thoughts on the changing boxing landscape and the exciting Mayweather vs Ortiz fight card.
Here?s what Steve had to say on Primetime development in 2011;
?Here’s the truth: Primetime have achieved so much more this year than they were meant to. Let?s not mince our words, if you?d said to me in January that in September we?d be talking after two magnificent Amir Khan fights, both of which had staggering figures, and previewing a Floyd Mayweather fight on Primetime, I?d have told you to get off to the loony bin! What?s happened this year has been unbelievable and it just shows there is a real appetite for quality fights away from where they?ve generally been shown.?
On working with Andy Kerr again;
?I love working with little Andy and the only reason I wasn?t with Andy Kerr in 2010, for the Carl Froch fights, was due to a prior commitment to the BBC; they booked me first and I?m an honourable man. It was a shame really but I?m looking forward to being back with him and let?s hope this becomes a regular pairing.?
On Mayweather vs Ortiz;
?I?m always excited to see Mayweather returning to the ring, but there is another factor with this fight and it?s one no one wants to talk about. What if this is the fight where he becomes an old man who?s taken too many long breaks? Everyone seems to assume it won?t happen to him but here?s a straight boxing fact ? it happens to every single fighter. There is a point in every career when they?re not the fighter they once were. Now we don?t know if this is the case but it will happen at some point.?
?Ortiz, sure he can get hit on the chin, but he can bang people on the chin. He?s fast and he can hurt and drop good fighters. He knows this is his Superbowl, his FA Cup final all rolled into one and it gives this fight a little something extra. This is not an exhibition.?
?I liked Mayweather?s fights against the veterans Moseley and Marquez, but you always thought he was going to comfortably win them over 12 rounds. Hey, he might blow Ortiz away in 2 rounds but I think there will be a lot more excitement as there are far more unknowns attached to this fight. It?s Mayweather back in the ring and it doesn?t get much bigger than that!?
?I think Amir Khan would be a dangerous opponent for Mayweather. Khan is clever and he?s big. I think Amir has the style to give Mayweather some real problems. But let?s take Amir out of the equation as he?s not proven at Welterweight yet. It’s possible that Ortiz is not the most most dangerous opponent Mayweather could have faced but there?s dozens of easier ones he could of taken – other fights that would probably have given him a better pay day. This is a title fight and he?s taken a real fight, I think this shows an intention to carry on fighting, to become busier.?
