by Luis Sandoval
As fight week comes to an end for Floyd Mayweather Jr. and WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz, so does their 24/7 series with the final episode airing Friday night.
In a series that started with a bang, the show seemed to fizzle out quite a bit over the last three episodes. Maybe it was the lack of another big moment that we were treated to early on. Or maybe we are done with the hype and ready to see both fighters finally gte it on in the ring Saturday night. In any event, the series finale gave us a look into their final days leading up to the showdown at the MGM Grand Casino on Saturday night.
A familiar scene starts the show with Floyd arriving at his gym, lacing up his gloves and going to work. Fight week definitely hasn’t slowed down Mayweather’s training; if anything, he intensified the work. But even a guy like Floyd, who is regarded as one of the hardest workers in the sport, likes to take a break.
Living up to the old saying, Floyd definitely works hard but he also likes to play hard. On this night, he rents out the Adventure Dome Theme Park at the Circus Circus casino for his friends, family and employees. He gets on different rides and roller coasters and enjoys the moment with those closest to him. With the fight fast approaching, Floyd chooses to relax and reminds us he likes to live his life to the fullest.
Back in Ventura, Victor Ortiz holds his final open workout for his fans before he heads out to Las Vegas. Fans gather around the ring to watch Ortiz do mitt work with his trainer Danny Garcia. Despite going through his trial and tribulations after the 2007 TKO loss to Marcos Maidana, it wa obvious Ortiz still has a strong support from the boxing community.
“Having fans follow you and just kinda supporting you, it definitely feels like a little pillow. A little cushion” says Ortiz.
Soon after his workout, it’s time for Ortiz to see more those people who provide that cushion for him.
A final pep rally is held in Los Angeles at Universal City Walk as the fighters promote the fight one more time before leaving to Nevada. Victor speaks to the fans and promises a victory but no promotion would be complete without Floyd providing us with some form of entertainment. Today’s victim is Golden Boy’s very own Oscar De La Hoya who as of late, has been the focal target Mayweather’s repeated insults.
“This [pointing to De La Hoya] is old news. I already kicked his ass! He’s no longer relevant!” says an agitated Floyd as he reminds everyone the person he’ll be facing on September 17th is Ortiz.
After the pep rally, Ortiz boards on a plane headed directly to Las Vegas while Mayweather’s work in Los Angeles is far from over. An appearance on Conan O’Brien’s late night show is on the agenda. More proof of the heavy promotion this fight has received in the mainstream media.
On the show, Conan makes it a point to ask Floyd if his time would be better spent preparing for his fight instead of taping a late night show. Mayweather reassures him the work will continue as soon as he returns to Nevada and he definitely keeps his word. Even after a full day of media demands, Floyd still heads straight to his gym after getting off his private jet and trains for the fight.
Ortiz also lands in Las Vegas in a private jet provided for him and much like Mayweather, hitting the gym is the first agenda on his list. He arrives at Barry’s Boxing Gym where he has trained previously for prior fights that took place in Vegas.
Victor maybe accustomed to Las Vegas but he definitely isn’t familiar with the perks a fighter who participates in a big fight receives. Being flown in by a private jet and driven around town in his own private limo are things that are quite new to him. While he may not be used to them, he is definitely thankful for them.
At the gym, Ortiz continues to train while head trainer Danny Garcia continues to give him final advice and tips for the fight. He wants Ortiz to use his jab and to not be afraid to hit Mayweather on his shoulders. As we all know, Floyd likes using his shoulder as a defense mechanism and Garcia instructs Ortiz to attack it should he get the chance.
The next day, the media demands continue as both fighters partake in the final press conference for the fight. Ortiz guarantees to add a “1” to Floyd’s loss column and promises to put him on his ass. It’s a comment that prompts Floyd to immediately stand up and take the microphone himself. The end shows both fighters trading words face to face. The next time the fighters will be this close will be on fight night when both are in the ring.
Mayweather-Ortiz 24/7 had one of the strongest starts of any of the 24/7 series’ but it felt like it couldn’t’ sustain the excitement beyond the first episode. Floyd will always be Floyd but this series proves he needs an opponent with a strong personality for the show to be able to be successful. While Floyd's antics will always set him apart, they have also become normal to us. He still remains the star of this series and the fighter who has made it a success, but you have to wonder how many more angles HBO can touch on. This has been Mayweather’s fifth 24/7 series.
While Ortiz definitely has a great story, there needs to be more drama to fill in 4 episodes of 24/7. It was great seeing new blood on the show and being able to see a different fighter showcased. Mayweather-Ortiz won’t go down as one of the best 24/7’s but it served its purpose. Golden Boy has really put in a strong effort to promote this fight and 24/7 has definitely played a vital role in it.
Episode Grade: 4/5
Overall Grade for Series: B . Personally, my favorite 24/7 series was Mayweather-Hatton.