By Chris LaBate
Golden Boy Promotions President Oscar De La Hoya has asked Floyd Mayweather Jr. to give Victor Ortiz an immediate rematch. De La Hoya believes Ortiz, and the fans, were robbed of a great fight when referee Joe Cortez allowed Mayweather to land two punches on an off-guard Ortiz to score a knockout victory in the fourth round.
After Ortiz hit Mayweather with an intentional headbutt, he was penalized a point by Cortez. To apologize, Ortiz came over to Mayweather and gave him a hug. As Ortiz pulled back from that hug, Mayweather blasted him with two punches and put him down for the count. Accoridng to Ortiz, and De La Hoya, the referee never issued a verbal order to resume fighting, and because of that Ortiz was off-guard and had his hands by his side.
"If Mayweather has any honor, and I think he does, he will give Victor Ortiz a rematch," De La Hoya said. "None of the champions I've faced would have taken advantage of the situation the way Floyd did. Everyone was cheated from a great fight. The fans were cheated.
"This had the potential to be a great fight. Ortiz was coming from behind, he was coming on strong and we were cheated from what could have been a great fight. I think the referee needs to have control of the fight and I personally feel that he lost control in that fight. Call it legal or call it illegal, it was bad sportsmanship plain and simple and if Floyd has any sort of honor he will give Victor Ortiz a rematch."
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