That the much desired Sept. 15 Mexican Independence Day weekend PPV TV fight date in Las Vegas now belongs solely to Top Rank and it’s fitting Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.-Sergio Martinez middleweight title showdown was just collateral damage. What Josesito Lopez’s shocking TKO 9 broken jaw upset over heavily favored Vicious Victor Ortiz on Showtime (Staples Center, Los Angeles) Saturday night did was a lot more than clearing the schedule for Maravilla and the Son of the Mexican Legend. No, Lopez-Ortiz, which kiboshed Ortiz verus Canelo Alvarez on 9/15 in Vegas for Golden Boy, was more than a schedule wrecker for one promotional company. It was a crackerjack fight, with heavy damage done by both sides, and it may have provided boxing the enema it sorely required in the lingering wake of the horrible Tim Bradley-Manny Pacquiao decision from June 9. Yes, this was also inefficiently judged. Somehow, veteran Pat Russell, the ex-San Diego cop, had Ortiz ahead by five points when Ortiz informed excellent ref Jack Reiss he wanted no more. My score was 86-85, Lopez, at the finish although I can easily comprehend how someone had Vicious Vic up by two or three points. There were, unlike Bradley-Pacman, many extremely close rounds. Finally, save me the drama queens who will say that Ortiz dogged it, that he threw up a white flag like he surely did do against Marcos Maidana. It wasn’t trainer Danny Garcia who threw in the proverbial towel, it was warrior Ortiz who informed Reiss it was no mas time. Ortiz fought terrifically against an inspired, substitute opponent. Ortiz earned the damned right to quit. His jaw was damaged, if not broken, and no one can question Victor’s valor any longer. This is boxing, this not kill or be killed. Ortiz, who is always exciting, returns to fight another day against another opponent. I doubt GBP will toss smallish Riverside scrapper Lopez, who lost to Jesse Vargas, in with Canelo because of the size difference. But Lopez has earned a more substanitial paynight, no doubt. He and Ortiz both earned battle stars in this one and maybe now we can put judges Ford, Ross and Roth and their Bradley-Pacquiao debacle in the rear view mirror. ([email protected])
