Rafael: Several writers had 114-113 for Berto, T. Smith, R. Borges, Farhood, Marley.

[Evil Abed]

Jesse (Montreal)


If GB accepted the fight with those terms (Dibella getting 20% over the next 3 fights) doesn't it sound like they were cashing out on Ortiz and didn't think he was gonna win?
Dan Rafael
(12:37 PM)


Not at all. They had no choice. If they wanted the fight they had to play ball. Nobody -- NOBODY -- is going to give a kid a title shot that is not mandatory and not have an option of some kind or a percentage. It's just not smart business.

[Evil Abed]

Duff (West Roxbury, MA)


Anyone crying about your scorecard has obviously never been to a closely contested live fight. When you score the rounds live, you only have the one perspective, not the multiple angles that the TV broadcast provides.
Dan Rafael
(12:38 PM)


You are correct. Anyone who spends more than 30 seconds worrying about my scorecard for a fight needs a life.

[Evil Abed]

Roy (Reno)


Although I disagree with your scoring, I don't have a huge problem. Except, round 10. I have watched it 3 times and I cannot figure out how you gave that to Berto. Ortiz seemed to come alive and put it on Berto after the deduction. BTW, your tweets during the fight were priceless.
Dan Rafael
(12:38 PM)


I can respect that.

[Walt Liquor]

how does tubbs really have a boxing related job?????

[Evil Abed]

Mike (New York)


Do you think judges should use video monitors to scre fights?
Dan Rafael
(12:39 PM)


No.

[Evil Abed]

R! (Bay Area)


Your defending your scorecard, does that mean that the wrong guy won then? Ortiz shouldnt have that victory on his resume then?
Dan Rafael
(12:43 PM)


No because I know it was a close fight and as I said I thought there were at least three extremely close rounds. I gave them to Berto. Had I given them to Ortiz he would have won. Some close fights are close but, to me at least, the rounds are easy to score (like in Pascal-Hopkins 1). In others, like Berto-Ortiz, they are not. So I have no beef with Ortiz getting the decision even if my score had it by one point for Berto.

[Eaner0919]

Jesse (Montreal)


If GB accepted the fight with those terms (Dibella getting 20% over the next 3 fights) doesn't it sound like they were cashing out on Ortiz and didn't think he was gonna win?
Dan Rafael
(12:37 PM)


Not at all. They had no choice. If they wanted the fight they had to play ball. Nobody -- NOBODY -- is going to give a kid a title shot that is not mandatory and not have an option of some kind or a percentage. It's just not smart business.

options are always part of the sport

where he goes wrong, IMO, is the aspect that GBP cut it's earning potential to do this for Victor

remember they were pretty disenchanted with Vic after the Peterson fight.

they weren't going to do Vic any favors to get him a title shot. My guess is they told him "hey you want the title shot then you have to take a cut"

and he agreed which actually gives me more respect for Victor

[puga]

thats just plain ridiculous...

[Evil Abed]

Savoir Bear (Pasadena)


Dan, I was watching the youtube clip of the Ortiz-Berto press conference. Were you there? Some clown asked Ortiz a question and said "This fight was different because you didn't quit in the 6th round like when you quit against Maidana" and this guy Ortiz was like "you want me to come down there and beat you with this belt." I was DYING laughing. Dan, who was that writer that asked that? I'm guessing it was that kid Mike from USA Today.
Dan Rafael
(12:45 PM)


I was there and heard that question, which was a legitimate question. Victor took it with the right attitude and we all laughed. I do not know who asked it though.

[Rab-]

Can we cook this fat ****? We can make some carnitas off his fat ass to feed like three ****ing towns.