FLASHBACK *** In loving memory and respect to my great friend Johnny Ortiz (R.I.P.) here’s sharing his article piece – dated September 13, 2013 – that was originally published 10 years ago on www.dmboxing.com prior and regarding the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Canelo Alvarez, WBA “super” junior middleweight and WBC super welterweight championship fight – taking place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas.

In remembrance of Johnny Ortiz, never to be forgotten, all his postings can be viewed by clicking onto his name in the Categories section. May his soul rest peacefully in heaven with the Lord.

Ringside with Johnny Ortiz

Canelo Alvarez and Floyd ‘Money’ Mayweather will engage one another on Saturday, September 14. It’s the fight that is being billed as “the one” due to the fact that it is without a doubt the one that fight fans have been anxiously awaiting. 

This championship fight has all of the ingredients of a fight classic, youth vs. age, power vs. ring generalship, Floyd or Canelo’s “O” must go and the winner will leave the ring regarded as the best pound for pound fighter in boxing .

When the fight was originally signed, I leaned toward Mayweather as the winner but I have since changed my total outlook on the fight.  In the beginning I felt that the elusiveness and the overall knowledge of the ring were greatly in Floyd’s favor.

Since that time and relying on my knowledge of boxing, a knowledge that dates back to the first time my older brother Phil (who twice fought the greatest bantamweight champion of them all, Manuel Ortiz) took me to the original Main St. Gym when I was a mere nine years old, the same gym of my youth that I would one day co-own until its demise after 51 years in operation.  I have been a fighter, trainer and a manager . I went on to host my own radio boxing show on ESPN for twelve years.  This brief summary is to let you know something of my background in boxing.

The more I thought about the fight, the more I began to differ from my original choice in the fight.  The first thing had to do with age, Floyd being 36 years of age differed greatly from Canelo’s being a mere 23 years old.  Thirty six is not considered old if you are a heavyweight but for a blown up welterweight it is an age Floyd cannot dismiss.  Granted, Floyd is a rarity in boxing, he is always in phenomenal shape and he still fights like someone in their twenties.  In reality he cannot change the fact that he is indeed 36 years of age.  Age has a way of one day catching up with you.  Canelo, on the flip side of the coin is a mere 23 years of age.  Therein is a discrepancy of thirteen years. Where one is nearing the end of an unreal, brilliant career, the other one is just beginning.

Another thing to consider is the fact that Floyd has had 44 fights without a defeat, Canalo, being 13 years younger, has had 43 fights without a defeat, one fight less than Floyd. What it boils down to in my mind is it’s a fight between youth against age and power against experience. I remember as a kid at the old Main St . Gym, always hearing the old timers saying that youth must be served, that a good young fighter will most always beat a good old fighter.  Floyd Mayweather may well be the exception to the rule. He is always in marvelous condition as is Canelo.  As I mentioned, Floyd is undefeated as is Canelo.