Comments Thread For: Bernstein: Who Knows Ortiz's Real Age, But He's Wilder's Best Foe

[New England]

In my post I acknowledged it’s possible to cheat. I think it’s fine suspecting Ortiz is older, but some guys are convinced, as if they have proof. Baseball players have great motivation to lie about their age. A young athlete is much more attractive to prospective buyers.

how is that any different in boxing? age gives you even more of an advantage in a sport where kids are fighting. you're more of a man. it only becomes a detriment when you get over the hill.

i remember kelly pavlik losing to jermain taylor in the olympic trials. he was 17, JT was 21. that's f#cking enormous. a high school kid against a guy who is in his 20's. they get to the pros and kelly can take his gas and knock him out.

so let's say ortiz is 21 years old. says he's 17 and gets away with it. how much more upside does it look like he has? and how much more capable is he now of amking an olympic team? now that he looks so much better tha nhis peers, how much bigger will his contract be coming out of the olympics?

[CubanGuyNYC]

how is that any different in boxing? age gives you even more of an advantage in a sport where kids are fighting. you're more of a man. it only becomes a detriment when you get over the hill.

i remember kelly pavlik losing to jermain taylor in the olympic trials. he was 17, JT was 21. that's f#cking enormous. a high school kid against a guy who is in his 20's. they get to the pros and kelly can take his gas and knock him out.

so let's say ortiz is 21 years old. says he's 17 and gets away with it. how much more upside does it look like he has? and how much more capable is he now of amking an olympic team? now that he looks so much better tha nhis peers, how much bigger will his contract be coming out of the olympics?

What I was referring to was the here and now. Obviously age is an advantage among young boxers, but once they’ve all matured well into manhood, there’s little if any benefit to gain from claiming they’re younger. Myself and other posters have made several points in other messages about how difficult it is to lie about an athlete’s age on the international circuit. We’ve also illustrated how unlikely it is Ortiz is older than 38, in light of his listed age at different points in his career. Again, it’s possible Luis is older than he claims, but “looking old” is no real evidence, let alone proof.

[Robbie Barrett]

What I was referring to was the here and now. Obviously age is an advantage among young boxers, but once they’ve all matured well into manhood, there’s little if any benefit to gain from claiming they’re younger. Myself and other posters have made several points in other messages about how difficult it is to lie about an athlete’s age on the international circuit. We’ve also illustrated how unlikely it is Ortiz is older than 38, in light of his listed age at different points in his career. Again, it’s possible Luis is older than he claims, but “looking old” is no real evidence, let alone proof.

When i'm 70 i'm going to claim i'm 20. Looking old isn't evidence........

[CubanGuyNYC]

When i'm 70 i'm going to claim i'm 20. Looking old isn't evidence........

Lol Well, that’s a wee bit of an exaggeration there. I’ve known people that look as much as ten years younger than they really are. The reverse is also true. Some people look older than they really are. We’ve all known someone like that. No one is seriously claiming Ortiz is 50. Why is it so difficult to believe a 38 year old man can look, say, 42?

[Robbie Barrett]

Lol Well, that’s a wee bit of an exaggeration there. I’ve known people that look as much as ten years younger than they really are. The reverse is also true. Some people look older than they really are. We’ve all known someone like that. No one is seriously claiming Ortiz is 50. Why is it so difficult to believe a 38 year old man can look, say, 42?

You're right. He's 60 and looks 50.