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MGM GRAND FOXWOODS, CT ~ On a busy April weekend of casino entertainment that included performances by tough talkers Victor Ortiz and Charlie Sheen, boxing fans who were lucky enough to be in attendance for the vicious version of "winning" saw something very special indeed, perhaps even the Fight of the Year. Vicious Victor Ortiz (now 29-2-2 w/ 22 KO's) more than lived up to his nickname in defeating WBC Welterweight Champion Andre Berto (now 27-1 w/ 21 KO's), his upset victory in effect winning over many of his critics. For Ortiz, it was a fan friendly - breakout performance to be sure, one he needed and one he promised.
At the post fight press conference following Ortiz's victory, manager Rolando Arellano joked, "if anyone wants to know why Victor Ortiz performed the way he did tonight, it's because Charlie Sheen is here and he gave Victor some of his tiger blood!"
Performance enhancing blood? That explains it.
Whatever it was, tiger blood or pressure from the boxing world, it turned Victor Ortiz into a combination of a tiger and a man possessed, and like unsuspecting prey, Andre Berto never knew what hit him.
Duh, Winning!
Leading up to the fight, WBC Champion Andre Berto stressed the simple importance of winning, "coming up with that win is all that matters" - while Victor Ortiz guaranteed it to anyone who would listen, saying repeatedly - "I will win this fight!", and so it went on April 16th that Victor Ortiz walked the walk of his big talk, live on HBO Championship Boxing where winning in the ring is really all that matters. While Charlie Sheen and Andre Berto merely talked about winning, Victor Ortiz went out and did it.
In an early Fight of the Year candidate, the new and improved Victor Ortiz beat the previously undefeated Andre Berto to lift the WBC Welterweight title at MGM Grand Foxwoods by unanimous decision. The fight featured multiple knockdowns and thrilling action throughout. Berto was down in the first, Ortiz in the second. The sixth was an instant classic as both fighters went down, first Ortiz from a huge right hand and then it was Berto's turn to crash with only seconds left in the round, courtesy of an Ortiz left hook. It was simply an amazing fight and both fighters were indeed elevated on the strength of their respective performances.
KO Digest final score of the fight was 113-113, a Draw. Without the point deduction, Ortiz wins 114-113. On paper, it was a closer fight than it looked in the ring.
Official Scores were 115-110, 114-112, 114-111, unanimous in favor of Ortiz.
Several ringside scribes had it even closer.
One well known scribe had Berto by a point.
As noted, KO Digest scored the fight a draw live at ringside and scored it a draw when watching it again the next day on HBO. After the fight, we specifically asked Ortiz about the scores and whether or not he was certain of a victory after the final bell. Apparently he was, saying, "I was certain of the victory, I didn't know the scores. But in my mind and my heart a fighter always knows whether he won or lost. I didn't see it as close and I knew I had pulled off the victory."
"Andre Berto hits hard, but my head is like a rock. Nothing but respect to Andre Berto."
The defeated Berto said surprisingly little after the fight, "that wasn't me in there - nothing was falling in place, I couldn't let my hands move. He was just the better man tonight."
By contrast, the new WBC Welterweight Champion Victor Ortiz was all smiles at the post fight press conference following his impressive victory.
He was also very gracious and very respectful, even allowing fans and reporters to handle and pose with his new WBC Welterweight title - "here we are with the green belt!" - beamed an ecstatic Ortiz, clearly proud of what he had just accomplished in the ring.
Marcos Maidana? "Maidana doesn't have anything on me. I honestly believe Morales beat Maidana and Morales is past his prime. People say I gave up in that fight. I didn't give up. They stopped it on my behalf."
On this night, both in the ring and in his demeanor, Victor Ortiz presented himself to the world as a man in the midst of his own redemption.
Duh, winning!
At the post fight press conference following Ortiz's victory, manager Rolando Arellano joked, "if anyone wants to know why Victor Ortiz performed the way he did tonight, it's because Charlie Sheen is here and he gave Victor some of his tiger blood!"
Performance enhancing blood? That explains it.
Whatever it was, tiger blood or pressure from the boxing world, it turned Victor Ortiz into a combination of a tiger and a man possessed, and like unsuspecting prey, Andre Berto never knew what hit him.
Duh, Winning!
Leading up to the fight, WBC Champion Andre Berto stressed the simple importance of winning, "coming up with that win is all that matters" - while Victor Ortiz guaranteed it to anyone who would listen, saying repeatedly - "I will win this fight!", and so it went on April 16th that Victor Ortiz walked the walk of his big talk, live on HBO Championship Boxing where winning in the ring is really all that matters. While Charlie Sheen and Andre Berto merely talked about winning, Victor Ortiz went out and did it.
In an early Fight of the Year candidate, the new and improved Victor Ortiz beat the previously undefeated Andre Berto to lift the WBC Welterweight title at MGM Grand Foxwoods by unanimous decision. The fight featured multiple knockdowns and thrilling action throughout. Berto was down in the first, Ortiz in the second. The sixth was an instant classic as both fighters went down, first Ortiz from a huge right hand and then it was Berto's turn to crash with only seconds left in the round, courtesy of an Ortiz left hook. It was simply an amazing fight and both fighters were indeed elevated on the strength of their respective performances.
KO Digest final score of the fight was 113-113, a Draw. Without the point deduction, Ortiz wins 114-113. On paper, it was a closer fight than it looked in the ring.
Official Scores were 115-110, 114-112, 114-111, unanimous in favor of Ortiz.
Several ringside scribes had it even closer.
One well known scribe had Berto by a point.
As noted, KO Digest scored the fight a draw live at ringside and scored it a draw when watching it again the next day on HBO. After the fight, we specifically asked Ortiz about the scores and whether or not he was certain of a victory after the final bell. Apparently he was, saying, "I was certain of the victory, I didn't know the scores. But in my mind and my heart a fighter always knows whether he won or lost. I didn't see it as close and I knew I had pulled off the victory."
"Andre Berto hits hard, but my head is like a rock. Nothing but respect to Andre Berto."
The defeated Berto said surprisingly little after the fight, "that wasn't me in there - nothing was falling in place, I couldn't let my hands move. He was just the better man tonight."
By contrast, the new WBC Welterweight Champion Victor Ortiz was all smiles at the post fight press conference following his impressive victory.
He was also very gracious and very respectful, even allowing fans and reporters to handle and pose with his new WBC Welterweight title - "here we are with the green belt!" - beamed an ecstatic Ortiz, clearly proud of what he had just accomplished in the ring.
Marcos Maidana? "Maidana doesn't have anything on me. I honestly believe Morales beat Maidana and Morales is past his prime. People say I gave up in that fight. I didn't give up. They stopped it on my behalf."
On this night, both in the ring and in his demeanor, Victor Ortiz presented himself to the world as a man in the midst of his own redemption.
Duh, winning!
