Look For A Vicious Performance By Victor Ortiz On Saturday

Don’t let Marcos Rene Maidana’s (25-1, 24 KOs) sparkling record fool you. I have a sneaking suspicion that he’s going to turn out like fellow Argentinian Walter Dario Matthysse (26-5, 25 KOs). Maidana, like Matthysse, is the perfect combination of an eye-catching high knockout percentage built up against largely unknown competition. The result: a perfect showcase fight for “Vicious” Victor Ortiz (24-1, 19 KOs) on June 27.

I’m excited about this fight, not because I think that it will be a pitched, back-and-forth battle. Rather, I’m looking forward to seeing Ortiz do his thing. Oftentimes, HBO and Showtime will roll the dice on a talented young fighter and come up snake eyes. I’d be shocked if that’s the case with Ortiz. He is almost too good to be true. He’s well-spoken, media savvy, and has the skills to pay the bills. Let’s enjoy him while he’s still on regular HBO and not HBO PPV. Yes, I’m cheap that way.

My only question about Ortiz is his chin. Not because I don’t think he has one, but it’s hard to know unless we see it tested. On paper, one would think that the hard-hitting Maidana is the perfect candidate to test it. In reality, he will not get a chance to. Look for Ortiz’s blinding speed and vicious power to lead to a highlight reel knockout victory in round six. If you think Maidana has a chance, I’d surely like to know why.