According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, former Welterweight champion Victor Ortiz received a one-fight license in Nevada for his February 11th rematch with Andre Berto.
Ortiz had to appear before the commission due to the tactics he used during the September 17th bout with Floyd Mayweather. In that fight, Ortiz repeatedly headbutted Mayweather and stated after the fight the he purposely tried to break Mayweather’s nose.
“I was trying to break his nose, 100 percent,” Ortiz said in the interview. He later added, “Although I take (the loss to Mayweather) as a learning lesson, a learning experience, next time it ain’t gonna be that. If I’m gonna head butt you, I’m gonna break your nose (on the) next head butt.”
During questioning by the commission, Ortiz was contrite about both incidents.
“I won’t make any excuses,” said Ortiz, who was accompanied to the hearing by David Itskowitch of Golden Boy and manager Rolando Arellano.
Of the head butt, Ortiz said, “I acted in a very inappropriate manner. I don’t know what I was thinking. I want a chance to redeem myself and show you guys I’m not a dirty fighter and never have been. … In the heat of the moment, I lost it. That will not happen again, I assure you.”
He said he made his remarks at the end of a long day and that “questions were coming from left and right” and that there were “repetitive questions. Frustration took over. It was a question that had been asked all day of me.”
When a commissioner asked Ortiz how he would react if he felt like he was being fouled — he claimed Mayweather had repeatedly elbowed him — he said, “Next time, I’m not going to commit anymore fouls. … I was very embarrassed by this whole thing.”
Arellano also was allowed to address the commission, saying, “Victor takes full responsibility. There’
“It would be very limited license where you have the opportunity to prove yourself,” he said.
Commissioner Pat Lundvall also supported the one-fight license idea. “Do not let it happen again in this state,” she said.
“I’m thrilled that he got the license,” Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer said. “When I talked to Victor, like he said in front of the commission, he apologized about what happened. I think sometimes you get carried away and you do or say things you regret. I know Victor is a clean fighter, not a dirty fighter. You can look at his record.
“This fight with Berto will be a hard and exciting fight, but it will also be a clean fight. And after the fight, the commission will see this was a one-time glitch for Victor and he will be issued a permanent license.”