According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, former Welterweight champion Victor Ortiz will have to explain himself to the Nevada commission about the antics and post fight statements he made during and after his fourth round knockout loss to Floyd Mayweather before he could be granted a license for his February 11th rematch with Andre Berto.
Ortiz purposely headbutted Mayweather and later made a statement that he tried to break Mayweather’s nose during the fight.
Head of the Nevada Commission Keith Kizer said that commission chairman Raymond “Skip” Avansino Jr. directed that Ortiz’s application for a license be put on the agenda for the next meeting. Ortiz applied for his license Wednesday.
“Chairman Avansino wants the commission to be able to question Mr. Ortiz about his actions in the ring on Sept. 17 and issues related thereto,” Kizer said. “This is Mr. Ortiz’s first fight since then and it’s a new licensure year, but (the comments) definitely sealed it.
“I was trying to break his nose, 100 percent, because (Mayweather) nailed me 16 times with his elbow on my right eye,” Ortiz said in the interview. “It was wrong, it was very wrong. But given the fact that I had asked the ref to keep an eye on that and I told him (watch the) ‘elbow’ (and) he kept saying, ‘Keep fighting Victor, keep fighting.’ All right, you want to get dirty? I got dirty.
“I let the best take over. I let the best of me get away and for that I started feeling bad. And that’s why I was like, ‘Yo, Floyd, my bad bro, I apologize, man.’ So I gave him a hug. They got me to feel human once again in the ring, and when I felt human I paid for it. Although I take it 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.”
Said Kizer, “The apparent willingness by Mr. Ortiz to head butt an opponent in the ring according to his own words is definitely a cause for concern for the commission. This is pretty blatant and Mr. Ortiz made it pretty easy for the chairman to have a hearing by saying those comments.”
Golden Boy CEO Richard Schaefer, Ortiz’s promoter, declined comment, but manager Rolando Arellano told ESPN.com that Ortiz would welcome the opportunity to answer the commission’s questions, and that he was willing to appear in person even though it meant breaking his Southern California training camp for the day.
“The commission’s mission is to help protect the safety and welfare of all fighters,” Arellano said. “They’re taking action to make sure that this type of conduct doesn’t occur in the future. We appreciate the opportunity to go in front of them to discuss any and all of their concerns and to answer all of the questions they may have.
“When we step into that ring, we want to display the highest standard of sportsmanlike conduct, so we’ll fly out and listen to them and address any of their concerns. We’re not bothered by their request. They’re doing their job and we have to assure them that we will do our job in accordance to the rules and conditions of the Nevada commission while participating in a boxing event.”
“Victor did something wrong that day and was apologetic and showed remorse,” Arellano said. “He was reprimanded that day and the commission wants to make sure nothing goes afoul again.”
