Roberto Ortiz Slices Open Alcarez For Stoppage Win
Apr 12, 2014 • 10:24 AM ET
By Jake Donovan
While most eyes are on the highly anticipated rematch between Timothy Bradley and Manny Pacquiao, boxing continues on around the world. Roberto Ortiz went about his business in the utmost professional manner, scoring a 5th round stoppage over Ramiro Alcarez in their Fox Deportes-televised main event Saturday evening in Cancun, Mexico.
Ortiz slowly picked apart Alcarez, never avoiding contact but making sure to remain a step ahead in every exchange. Alcarez offered a decent account of himself, but his chin and skin eventually gave way to his opponent's two-fisted attack.
The lone knockdown of the bout came early in round four. A well-timed right hand caught Alcarez (14-4-1, 8KO) by surprise, sending him to the canvas for a mandatory eight count. The divisional spoiler recovered but struggled to get back into the fight.
Ortiz took over, scoring with power shots while fighting through a swollen left eye to inflict damage on his opponent's tender a skin. Repeat right hands opened a massive cut along the length of Alcarez' left eyelid, to the point where the flow of blood quickly grew out of control.
Time was called, but the ringside physician believed the wound to be too severe to allow action to continue.
The official time was 1:32 of round five.
Ortiz advances to 31-0-1 (24KO) and remains in the hunt to challenge for one of the alphabet titles held by lineal super lightweight king Danny 'Swift' Garcia, although the Philly native is pondering an eventual move to welterweight.
UNDERCARD
Robert Manzanarez picked up his sixth straight win with a 6th round knockout over Luis Gonzalez in their televised opener.
A knockout of the year candidate nearly surfaced as Manzanarez scored with a picture perfect left hook that took Gonzalez' legs from underneath him. The Monterey native barely beat the count, but took a beating from an ensuing flurry, leaving the referee no choice but to stop the contest.
The official time was 2:09 of round six. Manzanarez was up 50-45 on all three scorecards at the time of the stoppage as he improves to 27-1 (23KO). The Phoenix-born lightweight avenged the lone loss of his career, stopping Alejandro Barrera in three rounds last November, exactly 52 weeks after suffering a 6th round stoppage.
Gonzalez falls to 16-6-1 (9KO), with all of his losses coming in the span of his past nine bouts.
Anabel Ortiz (14-3, 2KO) claimed a 10-round decision over Ivonne Rosas (10-7-1, 2KO) in their junior flyweight attraction. Scores were 100-90 (twice) and 99-92 in favor of Ortiz.
Jake Donovan is the Managing Editor of Boxingscene.com, as well as a member of Transnational Boxing Ratings Board and the Boxing Writers Association of America. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
Jake Donovan is an award-winning journalist who served as senior writer for BoxingScene from 2007-2024, and news editor for the final nine years of his first tour. He was also the lead writer for The Ring before his decision to return home.
