Southpaw Wars! For Vicious Victor Ortiz, It’s Do or Die Against Luis Collazo Tonight at Barclays Center
By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent
*Photo Credit- Robert Brizel
Brooklyn, NY (January 30th, 2014)– After tonight’s World Boxing Association International Welterweight title match between titleholder Luis Collazo of New York City and challenger Victor ‘Vicious’ Ortiz, only one legitimate contender, in all probability, will remain standing. Collazo has home court advantage, being a Brooklyn born native now living in Queens, New York. For Ortiz, a Kansas born fighter out of Oxnard, California, it will be his third fight in New York City. Ortiz knocked out former world champion Carlos Maussa in the first round in Madison Square Garden in November 2007. Ortiz won a unanimous ten round decision over former world champion Nate Campbell in Madison Square Garden in May 2010.
Ortiz, who will turn 27 years old on January 31, has not fought in 19 months, making his 29-4-2 record with 22 knockouts suspect. Ortiz was beaten by current welterweight titleholder Marcos Rene Maidana, losing by sixth round stoppage at the Staples Center in Los Angeles in June 2009 by sixth round stoppage. After knocking out former world champion Vivian ‘Vicious’ Harris in Los Angeles in the third round in September 2010, he drew with Lamont Peterson over ten rounds in Las Vegas in December 2010, but then won a 12 round unanimous decision over 27-0 Andre Berto at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut in April 2010 to win the World Boxing Council World welterweight championship.
Collazo, age 32, now 34-5 with 17 knockouts, lost a 12 round decision to Andre Berto for the WBC Welterweight title in January 2009, though two of the cards favored Berto by only 114-113. Collazo has won five of six comeback bouts since that time, losing only a ten round decision when he got knocked down by Freddie Hernandez in the eighth round from a body shot, resulting in a 10-8 round and scores of 96-93 for Hernandez across the board in their Los Angeles bout in October 2011. Without the knockdown the bout could have been closer to a draw if Collazo had won the eighth round.
Ortiz is by far a more talented fighter when his game is on target. Ortiz is an explosive power hitter. The problem with his game is fouling. An illegal punch thrown by Ortiz during a referee’s break caused him to get disqualified against Corey Alarcon in California in June 2005 in the first round. An accidental head butt caused a gash on the forehead of Ortiz, caused a technical draw in Phoenix, Arizona, in January 2007. Against Floyd Mayweather Jr., Ortiz was penalized one point for a head butt, then got strangely knocked out when referee Joe Cortez inadvertently forgot to send the two fighters to the neutral corner after the bout was stopped due to the infraction. Joselito Lopez broke Ortiz’ jaw in June 2012 during the ninth round of their Los Angeles bout, and Ortiz was unable to answer the bell for the tenth round.
If Victor Ortiz is to remain in the welterweight mix, it’s now do or die against Luis Collazo. The problem Ortiz may have is Collazo has the hometown advantage, where referee and judges know him well, and a strong fan base rooting section in his favor. Collazo, is a cagey and slippery fighter, and he can make things extremely difficult. Collazo is an experienced veteran with good movement. Unfortunately, he has no punching power.
Given Ortiz’ inactivity, and Collazo’s lack of power punching, tis bout will probably proceed cautiously for a few rounds. Since Ortiz will never get a decision over Collazo in New York City, Ortiz is favored to win by knockout or stoppage between rounds six and ten. However, if the fight goes the distance, and Collazo is successful in cutting off the ring and technically outworking Ortiz with his magnificent right jab keeping most busy all night, then Collazo should win by ten round unanimous decision. To beat Ortiz, Louie has to be the busier fighter, like Marcos Rene Maidana was at the Barclays Center against Adrien Broner last month. This crossroads bout is predicted to end with an explosive bang!
If Ortiz versus Collazo ends with a knockout, truth be told, Collazo won’t look pretty. The victory will probably go to the more superior conditioned boxer with the superior game plan, who wants the win badly. Collazo doesn’t figure to beat Maidana, Timothy Bradley, Manny Pacquiao, Erik Morales, or Juan Manuel Marquez, but he will probably get a shot the winner of the Broner-Maidana WBA World Welterweight title rematch if he beats Ortiz. However, Ortiz could win a ten round close or majority decision on the scorecards if he is able to knock Collazo down a few times and turn the local scorecards in his favor. The number 15 worldwide WBA welterweight ranking position of Ortiz is also at stake tonight.
Ortiz-Collazo will feature a six bout undercard. In the preliminary to the main event, 15-0 Bronx, New York light middleweight Eddie ‘Eboy’ Gomez is favored to win by ten round decision over 11-0 Daquan Arnett of Winter Park, Florida. Gomez is a two time National Junior Olympic champion. Arnett is the 2009 National Junior Olympic champion. Gomez is slightly more experienced, and holds a stoppage win over Steve Chambers. If Arnett is better prepared he could stop Gomez. Both fighters are promoted by Golden Boy.
COMMENTS
English