As most fight fans already know, Victor Ortiz (29-5-2 22KO’s) will be making his return to the ring on December 13th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas Nevada. He will be facing journeymen Manuel Perez (22-10 4KO’s), the bout will be a part of the Khan v Alexander undercard and will be televised live on Sho Extreme.
Back in 2008, Victor Ortiz was a highly touted prospect and was destined to be a star with crossover appeal. However, that perspective changed when he quit against Marcos Maidana in the 6th round of their 2009 war. Since that fight, a lot has happened to Ortiz including many ups and downs. However, right now he is at a very low point in his career coming off of three straight knockout losses. I personally think it’s a shame how Ortiz’s career unfolded since he seems to have all the physical attributes a fighter would need. He possesses good hand speed, explosiveness, athleticism, punching power and physical strength. On top of all those great physical qualities he fights out of the southpaw stance.
However, Victor’s problems were never physical but always mental. He has never been the smartest fighter and has always had confidence issues. He has also long been bothered by self-doubt. Ortiz has reportedly changed trainers and is now working under the guidance of Joel Diaz who also trains other fighters such as Tim Bradley and Diego De LA Hoya. Unfortunately for Joel Diaz, the problems that he has to fix are not physical and can’t be fixed in the gym. It is possible for a trainer to help give a fighter confidence and make them feel comfortable but it’s much more complicated and harder to do then it is to fix some technical flaws and teach new skills. But I guess if any trainer can help in this type of situation it would be Joel Diaz, because he instills confidence in his fighters and takes no nonsense. Diaz is always the “boss” in all his training camps and that is exactly the type of coach Ortiz needs.
Manuel Perez on the other hand is a tuff journeyman that holds wins over Jose Miguel Cotto, Edgar Santana and a draw with Brandon Rios. He has faced other names such as Paul McCloskey, Vernon Paris and Anton Novikov. Perez is a durable and determined fighter that usually comes in good physical condition. However, he is a very light puncher and is now fighting at a weight that is not his optimal weight. Perez is only 5’7 in height and has a 67” inch reach. He started his career out as a featherweight and is now fighting Ortiz at welterweight.
I believe this is the perfect fight for Victor Ortiz at this stage in his career. Manuel Perez always comes to win and has some quality wins under his belt despite being the smaller man most of the time. However, Ortiz should be able to be impressive and come away with a win if his mind is still in the fight game. If not, he will struggle.
