Victor Ortiz was once one of boxing's brightest stars, but after a truly shocking second round knockout in Brooklyn at the hands of hometown fighter Luis Collazo, he might be considering hanging up the gloves.
Ortiz was stepping into the ring for the first time in 15 months; his last fight against underdog Josesito Lopez ended with Ortiz's jaw broken. After his embarrassing and controversial knockout loss to Floyd Mayweather Jr., followed by having his jaw broken, this Collazo fight had all the makings of a "comeback" fight against an overmatched opponent.
Collazo failed to follow the script in his big opportunity though. "Absolutely (he overlooked me)," Collazo said. "(I got his attention) when I landed that hook and he didn't get up. "I'm just a competitive person. I don't like losing and I took care of business."
Late in the round Ortiz was being aggressive, throwing wide, looping hooks. Collazo, a relative unknown at 32 years old but a man who had fought serious competition in the past, took advantage of the opening to unload a quick, dynamite hook.
"It was the shortest hook I ever threw," Collazo said. "It was awesome. I knew he was going to come in wide and I tried to beat his hook with my hook and that's exactly what happened."
The loss is the third straight for Ortiz, whose chin now has a reputation of fine china, as opposed to regular glass. Even Collazo thinks Ortiz may be finished in the sport. "Between me and him, he told me he was going to retire after this. Let's see if he keeps his word. Let's see what happens," Collazo said.
Ortiz wasn't giving any hints about his future following the fight. "I'm good. I got caught, it's no big deal," Ortiz said. "It happens. I'm just one of the fighters and I put my heart out there."
The win was the biggest of Collazo's career, and he is looking for big chances now. "It opens the door," Collazo said "Like I said before, the fight here was my future and now it's going to open up my future." He may have aimed a wee bit high with his call-out though.
"I want Floyd Mayweather, in New York City, I want what the fans want! I want him to come to the Barclays Center here in Brooklyn."
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