Ortiz and Mayweather agree to fight ~ I visit the Rocky statue

A couple of days ago, Floyd Mayweather and Victor Ortiz decided to fight each other on  September 17, 2011.  Ok.  So let's state the obvious.  This is not the boxing match that people want to see.  Mayweather v Pacquiao would be a dream come true.  However, with Mayweather's legal troubles and the inability to agree on terms for drug testing ~ it seems unlikely that the dream match-up will ever occur.

I was at the Pacquiao v Mosley fight in Las Vegas.  I'm a Manny Pacquiao fan, but I was bored during that latest match-up.

I watched the Andre Berto v Victor Ortiz fight and was impressed with what I saw.  My friend, John, who knows about boxing anticipated that Berto would win that match.  Obviously he was wrong and surprised with the outcome of the fight.  I remember Berto used the ropes numerous times to stay up against Ortiz.  It was a great fight! 

I don't know that much about boxing, but I'm curious about the Ortiz v Mayweather match-up...  I hope it's a good one.

On another note, I'm in Philly.  Yesterday, I stopped by the Philadelphia Museum of Art.  Here's a picture of the Rocky statue and I.


THE WIRK

Ortiz defeated Berto ~ Ortiz is the new WBC welterweight champion

I had completely forgotten that Victor Ortiz was fighting Andre Berto tonight.  I wanted to watch this fight for a couple of reasons.  1) I can't wait for Manny Pacquiao v Shane Mosley and this fight was going to serve as an appetizer, and 2) I have a friend, John, who loves boxing and thinks highly of Berto.

I saw a tweet from Dan Rafael and immediately switched from the Portland Trail Blazers v Dallas Mavericks game to HBO for the fight.

I'm not going to do a post for the fight, but for those of you that want a summary, here are my (Twitter user: TheWirk) round by round Tweets.  The most recent ones are towards the top.  Enjoy and catch the replay, if you can.  It was a good fight!

• i was right ~ congrats to ortiz! now back to basketball... #berto v #ortiz
• i have #ortiz winning and beating #berto. announce the winner so i can go back to basketball #blazers v #mavs!
• fight over - i give it to ortiz #berto v #ortiz
• ortiz looks like he's one round away from victory. this is a great appetizer for the #mosley v #pacquiao fight on 5/7! #berto v #ortiz
• berto kept backing up until he found the ropes to hold himself up. ortiz bringing the offense. #waitingforbertotofall #berto v #ortiz
• i know nothing about scoring boxing, but i have ortiz as the winner so far... #berto v #ortiz
• 11th to come #berto v #ortiz
• berto just hit the mat, but it wasn't a knockdown. we have a slugfest now! #berto v #ortiz
• it's the 10th and ortiz just lost one point for the punch to the back of the head... announcers don't seem to agree. #berto v #ortiz
• 9th round... ortiz keeps hitting berto behind his head ~ the next time he loses a point. #berto v #ortiz
• @danrafaelespn you weren't kidding! you can hear the crowd's boos when they show mayweather on tv #berto v #ortiz
• berto in corner being told to go for the body. the 8th starts NOW #berto v #ortiz
• both guys are def fighting and in it to win it now... berto just did a weeble wobble impression, and did not fall down. #berto v #ortiz
• getting ready for the 7th... #berto v #ortiz
• berto is bringing the offense now! ooooooooooooh ~ ortiz just knocks down berto! #berto v #ortiz
• in the 6th and down goes ortiz! #berto v #ortiz
• #mayweather sitting by the ring for #berto v #ortiz... closest he'll be to a ring tonight than he'll be on 5/7 for #pacquiao...
• it's the 5th & #ortiz has #berto on the ropes again. announcer says, "berto is fighting this fight like he needs one fight to change it all"
• berto told "stop bouncing and start boxing" #berto v #ortiz
• berto is using the ropes to stand up #berto v #ortiz
• ortiz is going to have this 4th round FOR SURE #berto v #ortiz
• ortiz looks to like he's in it to win it. throwing and landing more punches than berto... berto looks tired. #berto v #ortiz
• ortiz seems to be smiling in the ring.. def more offense coming from him. #berto v #ortiz
• start of the 3rd round... #berto v #ortiz
• i think berto better wake up... #ortiz looks like he has more fight in him now... pun intended. oooh ~ #berto just knocked down ortiz!
• #ortiz knocked down #berto already... 1st round.
• @danrafaelespn omg, thanks for this tweet. i just flipped to the fight! #berto v #ortiz

THE WIRK

Boxing enthusiast's wish list ~ 5 Fights I'd like to see in 2011

**** It's no secret that I've recently gotten into boxing. I've always paid attention to the heavy weight fighters, but I recently broadened my scope due to Manny Pacquiao. I even went to Dallas to watch Margarito vs Pacquiao this year. Anyway, I've got a buddy, John, who keeps me in the know on who and what to watch in the ring. I've supplied the pictures for the post, and he's been kind enough to send me his fight wish list for 2011. Enjoy!

THE WIRK

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5 Fights I would like to see in 2011

Ignoring the obvious Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather fight that may or may not ever happen, here is what I would like to see in 2011.

5. Miguel Cotto vs Andre Berto - This is the signature win that Berto needs to become a credible and deserving challenger to pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao. The faster and more athletic Berto should be able to outpoint Cotto over 12 rounds, this would be a great fight to hold in South Florida.

4. Sergio Martinez vs Andre Ward - Ward should conclude the super middleweight tourney towards the end of this year. Martinez was the breakout fighter of 2010, defeating both Kelly Pavlik and scoring a stunning one punch KO of Paul Williams. The bigger Ward would likely be a slight favorite to win by decision. This is the only really intriguing matchup for Martinez, outside of a fight with Pacquiao.

3. Amir Khan vs winner of Timothy Bradley/Devon Alexander - The winner of this fight (Bradley and Alexander fight in January on HBO) becomes the undisputed champion at 140 lbs, easily the strongest division in the sport. If Khan can overcome either fighter, his star will continue to get brighter. I would look for Khan to outpoint or possibly stop either of these fighters, and go on to fight 2-3 more times this year.

2. Vladimir Klitscho vs David Haye - The only real heavyweight boxing match that would get any attention at all in the United States, outside of the dream matchup between the Klitscho brothers that will never happen. Haye has been loudly harassing both brothers for well over a year now, constantly taunting them in the media. Up to now he has turned down offers for the fight saying the purse has been too small. Fast and athletic with one punch knockout power makes Haye one of the only legitimate challengers. The sport of boxing desperately needs an exciting heavyweight matchup, and right now this all Euro fight is the only thing that qualifies.

1. Manny Pacquiao vs Andre Berto - This presupposes that Pacquiao gets by Shane Mosely, and that Berto notches a signature win this year. I think there will be a clamor to match up Berto and Cotto, and a win there should turn Berto into a very viable challenger for the pound for pound king. With his speed and power Andre Berto is one of the only men capable of giving Pacquiao a legitimate challenge. If this fight could take place in the fall, then it could be a great set-up for Pacquiao's final fight in '12 (either Mayweather or possibly Martinez).