Mayweather vs. Ortiz... Whos to Blame?

Ortiz - Headbutted, was too interested in kissing Mayweather, didn't guard himself at all time.

Mayweather - Immediately after they touch gloves throws a left hook-right straight.

Cortez - Did he call time in? Why didn't he see the two shots? Is he capable of refereeing anymore?

Quite an odd end to the fight, especially given the argument with Larry Merchant at the end. "HBO don't care about me...", "HBO should have fired you..." - "If I was 50 yeard younger I'd kick your a**"

Shame the fight ended like this!

Cortez and Merchant should both be put out to pasture.

hahaha the argument was funny.

Either way I'm just glad Money is back.

Very very impressive, came forward and did not look at all like he'd been away for 16 months.

The referee told them to box on, he then looked for the time keeper to start the time keeping. It was Ortiz fault for not protecting himself and Cortez has to take some blame for not being in control of the match at all times. I think Mayweather cannot be faulted he had just taken some damage to the chin after being head butted and made use of the refs box on command.

I'd post blame on Ortiz.

He gets Mayweather on the ropes and throws some decent punches but bizarrely throws a clearly intentional head butt. Then after apologising once with a strange hug kiss combo in the corner. Cortez deducted a point and started proceedings. Both fighters touched gloves but Ortiz tried to go for a second hug kiss combo when Mayweather cracked him.

Was the knock out punch unsportsmanlike? Probably, but so is throwing a head butt like that. Ortiz should have been ready to fight and by going in for a second hug after Cortez had called for them to box he left himself open and Money May capitalised. Protect yourself at all times!

I've watched it a few times now, Cortez didn't call box, he looked over at the time keeper and stared at them with his mouth open when the punches were thrown.

What ref calls box before noting to the time keeper?

Either way, it's HIS place to ensure the fight is officated. He didn't even SEE the punches due to his incompetent refereeing.

A ref should NEVER take his eyes off the action when the ruling to continue is called.

Cortez signalled them to box he also forgot about the timekeeper then remembered that's why he wasn't watching. Ortiz should have been protecting himself so it's his fault. Cortez made himself look sill but Ortiz should have known better he isn't a young kid any more.

Mayweather was great for the four rounds and showed little signs of ring rust...
Ortiz came gamely and looked strong and determined...

But the ending was infuriating.

Ortiz should not have butted him it was unprovoked and rightly he got point docked. But...

What the f**k was that ending. Mayweather saw red , new Ortiz wasn't ready and cold cocked him and all because cortez truned his F****ing head when he should have been monitoring what the two blood boiling fighters and wasn't even paying attention when Mayweather threw at Ortiz.

Ortiz should not have beeen so naive but where was the ref??? nowhere, halfway between signalling to press row and fu**ng nowhere.

Mayweather can be faulted, he just smacked a man he knew wasnt looking under circumstances of rage. Its just the terrible reffing by Cortez made it legal. Ah well. Rant over.

Ortiz is to blame too for being naive and stupid not looking, but mayweather was dirty and Cortez is obviously now senile.... basically, i blame everyone.

haha

The ref called box on early on, Ortez then went for a hug, Cortez then looked towards the time keeper and Mayweather looked towards the knockout.

Didnt look very sportsmanly but he was within the rules in what Cortez done. Cortez has been a joke for a few years now. I raised my eyebrows when seen he was reffing. Duke made a good point that they were picking holes in Floyd that they could see weakness to exploit. He fought that way cause he was fighting Ortiz, He fought the way he did against Sugar cause it suited. I think he is slowing slightly, but with age he is growing into being a welterweight also, he was light for a while. He can adapt, cant see anyone with a better boxing brain or technical ability out there

Cortez is an absolute joke! Ortiz is in a boxing match so he should be protecting himself at all times but the ref has a duty to protect the fighters and he time and time again shows his inability to do this!

Mayweather however is not innocent in this, he has been a boxer for a very long time and will know as much as anyone the dangers that go with it and throwing punches to take out a man on the cheap especially while ge was not guarded is an absolute disgrace.

From this I would like to see Cortez ref licence revoked

Mayweather hit ortiz knowing full well he wasnt ready and wanted some revenge for the head butt. Of course the headbutt was wrong but don't see how anyone can defend floyd, he knew what he was doing and two wrongs dont make a right. Not the first headbutt I've seen in the ring and ortiz was punished for it. never seen the ref say box on, but not suprised with cortez. made even worse that kenny bayliss was there doing other fights but not given the main event

Seanusarrilius wrote:Mayweather was great for the four rounds and showed little signs of ring rust...
Ortiz came gamely and looked strong and determined...

But the ending was infuriating.

Ortiz should not have butted him it was unprovoked and rightly he got point docked. But...

What the f**k was that ending. Mayweather saw red , new Ortiz wasn't ready and cold cocked him and all because cortez truned his F****ing head when he should have been monitoring what the two blood boiling fighters and wasn't even paying attention when Mayweather threw at Ortiz.

Ortiz should not have beeen so naive but where was the ref??? nowhere, halfway between signalling to press row and fu**ng nowhere.

Mayweather can be faulted, he just smacked a man he knew wasnt looking under circumstances of rage. Its just the terrible reffing by Cortez made it legal. Ah well. Rant over.

Agree with this. Given the events, I can't argue with the outcome, but having stayed up until 5am+ and forked out £15 for pay-per-view, it was a disappointing/frustrating ending.

Seanusarrilius wrote:Ortiz is to blame too for being naive and stupid not looking, but mayweather was dirty and Cortez is obviously now senile.... basically, i blame everyone.

haha

I wouldnt call it dirty I would call it justified, at least floyd continued, had it been someone like Andre Dirrell he would have dropped to the floor after the headbutt and let the ref DQ Ortiz, I didn't buy the BS reason Ortiz gave either about him jumping back in after mayweather pushed him, it was deliberate and he was lucky not to get DQd instead he got KOd for being naive and a cheat. The less said abot Cotez the better and I don't advocate attacks on pensioners but I wish floyd would 1,2 Merchant into retirement

I can't blame Mayweather for the punches, if it was called... fair enough. But as I can't help but point out. Cortez should have kept an eye on the fight THE VERY MOMENT he called them to box...

Anything could have been thrown in the time it took for him to look at press row to the moment he noticed Ortiz was down.

For all we know Ortiz could have thrown another headbutt...

The ref said box on quite early on. Floyd "offered" Ortiz a rematch and got quite tetchy over being questioned on it - so it seems that he himself felt he was being perhaps "unsporting". But the ref had said box on and Ortiz had just head butted him.

School Project wrote:I can't blame Mayweather for the punches, if it was called... fair enough. But as I can't help but point out. Cortez should have kept an eye on the fight THE VERY MOMENT he called them to box...

Anything could have been thrown in the time it took for him to look at press row to the moment he noticed Ortiz was down.

For all we know Ortiz could have thrown another headbutt...

Dont you mean Ortiz could have jumped back into range and accidentally headbutted Floyd whilst getting in range?

no-mas wrote:

School Project wrote:I can't blame Mayweather for the punches, if it was called... fair enough. But as I can't help but point out. Cortez should have kept an eye on the fight THE VERY MOMENT he called them to box...

Anything could have been thrown in the time it took for him to look at press row to the moment he noticed Ortiz was down.

For all we know Ortiz could have thrown another headbutt...

Dont you mean Ortiz could have jumped back into range and accidentally headbutted Floyd whilst getting in range?

I'm making the point that Cortez simply wasn't watching what was going on after he alledgedy called them to box. I'm no ref but I know for a fact that if the call was made he should be watching the action. If he was a ref in football would it be acceptable for him to stare at the touchline whilst the ball is in play?

agree with London, obviously a dissappointing ending, time and money. Cortez to blame though, he should be moved on now, should have already happened. They probably had respect and wanting him to do it himself, he obviously doesnt know he isnt up to it. People cant go by on past rep in this sport, soimebody could get seriously hurt due to it. Compelling was right, what was he doing there when Bayliss was there anyway. Just too much politics and cowpat within the sport too unfortunately I think

If Cortez had been payin attention I honestly feel mayweather would not have had a chance to throw them two shots for the following reason:

In every fight I've seen where an apology is being made and the ref is focussed on the fight he moves in to separate the apologies and then signals the fight to proceed. Where Cortez is so incapable it gave Mayweather the oppertunity to take it upon himself to decide when to re engage without Ortiz aware or in a position to defend himself as mayweather saw an advantage and took it.

Cortez's actions are playing with peoples lives

Don't think Cortez expected Ortiz to go in for a second snuggle with Floyd after he'd said box, he'd forgotten about the time kepper was trying to do it on the sly while the fight continued. Prob thought to himself turning away for a few secs while they measure each other out again won't be a problem.

Ortiz should have been more concerned about boxing than trying to make Floyd his new bff.

lets be honest i cant see ortiz winning if the fight continued to be honest floyd was landing at will. as to who i blame i think its already been said a million times over. though think we were robbed of a good fight that seemed to be warming up as i just seen it online. but hey at least i didnt lose 15 quid...

I as very dissapointed in mayweather to be honest. A man of that level and quality in "the sport of boxing" to result in winning by a couple of cheap shots is very very poor.
He was the better fighter over the 3/4 rounds so why do that?

Ok within his rights etc etc.......already been mentioned.......but a man of the quality and that level of abilty can he really feel good about winning in that fashion? Do his fans feel good about him winning in that fashion? I dont!
Very very dissapointed in him. He is an idiot outside the ring and has now been an idiot inside the ring.
Ortiz was well out of line on the head butt no excuse but for a man of floyds staure and proven quality in the game he should have expolited the inablities of ortiz rather than let us all down with cheap shots.
Still pure class and showed it but shame he decided to win like that. Would have been great to walk away from this as a floyd fan and say "look how good he is" instead i have to say "yeah it was a couple of cheap shots, but he was still winning the rounds"!
Damn shame... I am gutted he didnt do it by just being that brilliant.

housedp wrote:I as very dissapointed in mayweather to be honest. A man of that level and quality in "the sport of boxing" to result in winning by a couple of cheap shots is very very poor.
He was the better fighter over the 3/4 rounds so why do that?

Ok within his rights etc etc.......already been mentioned.......but a man of the quality and that level of abilty can he really feel good about winning in that fashion? Do his fans feel good about him winning in that fashion? I dont!
Very very dissapointed in him. He is an idiot outside the ring and has now been an idiot inside the ring.
Ortiz was well out of line on the head butt no excuse but for a man of floyds staure and proven quality in the game he should have expolited the inablities of ortiz rather than let us all down with cheap shots.
Still pure class and showed it but shame he decided to win like that. Would have been great to walk away from this as a floyd fan and say "look how good he is" instead i have to say "yeah it was a couple of cheap shots, but he was still winning the rounds"!
Damn shame... I am gutted he didnt do it by just being that brilliant.

Good post and one I fully agree with.

Thanks London appreciated.

I really feel sick to the stomach to be honest and the more I think about it the worse it gets!

When you see the re runs it just looks worse and worse!
The only thing that could have made it worse was if ortiz had put a pair of specs on.

do footballers do any different? rarely. you see your chance and you take it. he took it. ortiz should be aware but he can take his 2.5 mil and be happy i guess. he doesnt owe his fans anything you get what you pay for to quote floyd
your ppv ticket is non refundable!

This isnt football though is it?

Gone are the days in football of doing your damdest to stay on your feet and no matter what your not going down so you dont show any weakness to your opponent! Now its "he was touched, ther as definetly a touch so its a penalty"
Garbage.

Floyd took a cheap a shot(s) and let his fans down.
We dont all fall into the categorie of bad sportsmanship you know

people are saying its unsportsmanlike boxing is a sport therefore the point is valid. perhaps it was but i think you should take your chances. he did. the fault is with ortiz hes a muppet for not putting his hands up. theres a reason protect yourself at all times is such a used phrase. its in the sport and the rules its not like floyd headbutted him now that would be disgraceful... wait didnt ortiz...

I think all of them were at fault, Ortiz for his headbutt and headbutts attempts prior to it - why headbutt when you're finally getting somewhere. Bit of the Golota syndrome. Also his naivety afterwards - especially the serial hugger crap. I also lack any sympathy for him because of the reasons above (Now that he seems to be alright). More at issue with not getting to see a good long fight.

Cortez for just being a twit and signalling on without paying attention. The man is dangerous in his incompetence - had Ortiz not gone down, he could have been pinished much more with serious consequences because Cortez didn't have his bearings.

Mayweather for letting his anger get to him and clocking the boy when he wasn't ready. Just a bit of bad sportsmanship on his part but entirely justified in taking his chances. If I was the one being headbutted - I don't know - perhaps I would have responded the same way. I think it was a case of the red mist as he immediately went on the defensive - post fight. This seems to indicate that he knew it wasn't quite right but took the actions under a few moments of madness.

But I think both Cortez and ortiz carry the bulk of the blame.

Fair points chaps and I can see the bigger picture you are painting.

I cant help feel that I really wanted mayweather to beat this guy right though.

Would Manny have reacted the same way as floyd did?

You know what I mean?

ShahenshahG wrote:I think all of them were at fault, Ortiz for his headbutt and headbutts attempts prior to it - why headbutt when you're finally getting somewhere. Bit of the Golota syndrome. Also his naivety afterwards - especially the serial hugger crap. I also lack any sympathy for him because of the reasons above (Now that he seems to be alright). More at issue with not getting to see a good long fight.

Cortez for just being a twit and signalling on without paying attention. The man is dangerous in his incompetence - had Ortiz not gone down, he could have been pinished much more with serious consequences because Cortez didn't have his bearings.

Mayweather for letting his anger get to him and clocking the boy when he wasn't ready. Just a bit of bad sportsmanship on his part but entirely justified in taking his chances. If I was the one being headbutted - I don't know - perhaps I would have responded the same way. I think it was a case of the red mist as he immediately went on the defensive - post fight. This seems to indicate that he knew it wasn't quite right but took the actions under a few moments of madness.

But I think both Cortez and ortiz carry the bulk of the blame.

agreed. i hate how moral we all act to be honest. he took his chance big deal. he isnt a nice guy hes never said that he is hes there for the W he aint getting paid for overtime.

Nothing new to add but the end of the fight can be summarised as follows:

Ortiz- Naive. He should know to protect himself at all times. Instead he was too interested in cuddles and apologies.

Mayweather- Ruthless (some may say unsportsmanlike) in finishing the fight.

Cortez- an absolute disgrace. Did not see either of Mayweather's last two punches. He had no control at all over proceedings at the end.

For me Mayweather looked to be heading for a very comfortable UD and maybe even a late stoppage. He was sharp and showed no signs of ring rust. Can't help feel the ending tarnished an otherwise virtuoso Mayweather performance. It will always be seen as a controversial win by many people ala Duran v Buchanan.

As for Cortez he should be banned from ever officiating another fight in his life.

All in all an entertaining albeit controversial fight especially the Merchant interview post fight.

housedp wrote:Fair points chaps and I can see the bigger picture you are painting.

I cant help feel that I really wanted mayweather to beat this guy right though.

Would Manny have reacted the same way as floyd did?

You know what I mean?

fair point about manny he probably wouldnt have done it but would be within his right to if he chose to. of course we would have prefered it if floyd had outboxed him for 9 rounds and stopped him in normal fashion but its just one of those things i guess... =/

Still isnt in the spirit of the game though is it?

Do two wrongs make it alright?

The guy is top class and shloud have and would have won by top class but instead decided to win at the same level of the guy he was fighting.
Good stuff eh cause he got paid by the hour!!!

I just threw the Manny name in there cause thats what the pactards will say.

Just feel Mayweather should have shown some class and he didnt and it dissapointed me.

If he has taken ortiz out in round one when he was ready for it then i wouldbe praising it to the hilt. I just cant get this rotten smell away from under my nose about this ending. Sorry!!

to be fair its not like he had much to prove he was in complete control. if this had happened whilst floyd was down on the cards there could be a justifiable cause for a rematch.
personally and this is debatable but what he did was not wrong for me its taking advantage of a situation. i judge it the same way i would with a cut from a clash of heads, continuing to go after the cut on purpose is fine in my opinion whereas some others may not like it... just taking advantage of a situation really no difference...

I don' know if two wrongs make a right. All I know is that i'm not the one getting punched in the face or headbutted. He is top class and he could have won by class. But all things seem to indicate that he responded in the heat of the moment. Especially with the first punch and then followed it up when he saw him wobbling.

At least we know Mayweather will fight again. No way he goes out on a win like that!

surely pac next this surely shows the gap from those two and the rest!

If there's a problem with what Mayweather did it's up to the ref to make an issue of it. He didn't, so I can only really blame the ref for not being duly attentive. It IS a highly charged sport, and that's why the ref NEEDS to be on the ball. Old slow Joe isn't, not anymore. Ortiz should've protected himself, and perhaps Mayweather could have been more sporting, but it's not a friendship contest, it's a fight.

To be honest I sort of laughed at the first though. Just seemed so bloody amateurish than I laughed heartily for a while before I composed myself and looked at it in the cold light of day.

I cant argue with the points the made simply becuase I dont see it that it way.

I fullly see where you are coming from everyone above but it doesnt mean I agree.

I know its highly charged and he was angry and was within his rights and the reff was at fault I just wanted him to win the style he could have withe no questions aksed.

It just looked a bit off to me regardless of the situation

cheers

Agree fully with Baltimora re Cortez. He has a DUTY to protect the fighters and this involves keeping fully focused on the fight (unsurprisingly)! He looked like an old man without a clue at the end. I mean missing both of Mayweather's final punches says it all. He should be refused the right to officiate again.

housedp wrote:I cant argue with the points the made simply becuase I dont see it that it way.

I fullly see where you are coming from everyone above but it doesnt mean I agree.

I know its highly charged and he was angry and was within his rights and the reff was at fault I just wanted him to win the style he could have withe no questions aksed.

It just looked a bit off to me regardless of the situation

cheers

to be fair most debatable topics are like that mate just a difference in opinion

I know

I am tired and drunk and the mrs is going to go nuts when she realises I am goin out to watch the old firm game then come home and sleep till tomorrow.

I just wanted floyd to win in sheer style with zero controversry but that didnt happen as we know.He should have and easiily could have beaten him better and left no questions for anyone let alone his own fans.

Protect yourselves at all times ortiz and Mayweather were pulled apart,Cortez says fight and Ortiz walks to Mayweather with his hands down. Fair result.

Just had a watch on YouTube. The headbutt was so blatant Ortiz was lucky not to have been DQ'd. Mayweather then accepted two apologetic gestures off him, although you could see he was angry about it. After Cortez has finished making a song and dance about deducting the point, he clearly gestures the two men together and says "let's go". He then inexplicably turns away from the fighters to communicate with the timekeeper. Not sure if this confused Ortiz, but instead of fighting on as Cortrz had instructed, he attempts to make a third apologetic hug towards mayweather. Mayweather himself isnt looking at Cortez, he - quite rightly - is focused on Ortiz and promptly knocks him out. Cortez (the clown) only turns back to the action in time to see Ortiz hit the deck and count him out.

Mayweather technically did nothing wrong, and the more I watch it the more I think he (unlike Ortiz) was oblivious to Cortez' clowning and was just following his instruction. I can see why some would say mayweather was out of order and it was a cheap shot, but I don't blame him. Ortiz isnt the sharpest tool and seems to lack a bit of focus in the ring IMO, he has to shoulder a bit of the blame for being OTT with the hugging and not protecting himself after the ref had signalled to fight on. But the real culprit to me was Cortez. His actions appeared to confuse Ortiz and left him vulnerable to mayweather. Cortez is an utter clown who is years past his sell by date as a ref. Having waved the fighters on he then turns away from the action, confusing one fighter and allowing the other to capitalise, thus being instrumental in the outcome of the fight. I lay the blame with him. Glad I didn't lay out 15 knicker for this farce.

On a side note, I have to say I nearly vomited at the incessant hugging and back slapping in Pacquiao-Mosley, and have noticed this OTT hugging creeping into the sport a bit more. There's no place for it til after the last bell is rung, it's a fight not a best friend competition, and I have no problem with mayweather being ruthless enough to shun this nonsense and get on with the business.

ShahenshahG wrote:I think all of them were at fault, Ortiz for his headbutt and headbutts attempts prior to it - why headbutt when you're finally getting somewhere. Bit of the Golota syndrome. Also his naivety afterwards - especially the serial hugger crap. I also lack any sympathy for him because of the reasons above (Now that he seems to be alright). More at issue with not getting to see a good long fight.

Cortez for just being a twit and signalling on without paying attention. The man is dangerous in his incompetence - had Ortiz not gone down, he could have been pinished much more with serious consequences because Cortez didn't have his bearings.

Mayweather for letting his anger get to him and clocking the boy when he wasn't ready. Just a bit of bad sportsmanship on his part but entirely justified in taking his chances. If I was the one being headbutted - I don't know - perhaps I would have responded the same way. I think it was a case of the red mist as he immediately went on the defensive - post fight. This seems to indicate that he knew it wasn't quite right but took the actions under a few moments of madness.

But I think both Cortez and ortiz carry the bulk of the blame.

Tend to agree Shah, and good to see you on here pal. However will add how many more controversies do we have to see Cortez in before he is put out to pasture. He is clearly not up to the job and where3ver you stand on last nights finish think we can all agree in a fight of this magnitude it is clearly unsatisfactory, and largely unavoidable. If he makes his instructions clear and also doesn't say box on until it is clear both boxers and he is ready for them to do so last nights controversy is avoided.

tony weeks or kenny bailess should only do fights of this magnitude from now on cortez needs to be put down