The week in Boxing: News on Mayweather’s return

Floyd “Money” Mayweather Returns to Face Chicano Welterweight Champion “Vicious” Victor Ortiz
<figure id="attachment_12518" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-12518" style="width: 288px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a class="highslide" onclick="return vz.expand(this)" href="http://laprensa-sandiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Vicious.jpg"><i… loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-12518" title="Vicious" src="http://laprensa-sandiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Vicious.jpg" alt="" width="288" height="432" srcset="https://dev-laprensa.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Vicious… 288w, https://dev-laprensa.pantheonsite.io/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Vicious… 200w" sizes="(max-width: 288px) 100vw, 288px"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-12518" class="wp-caption-text">Chicano Welterweight "Vicious" Victor Ortiz will defend his title against the returning Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Sept. 17.</figcaption></figure>
   The wait is over and once again Floyd “Money” Mayweather delivers as the undefeated six-time world champion announced, via his Twitter account that he will return to the ring on Saturday, September 17, to face the hard-hitting and explosive current WBC Welterweight World Champion “Vicious” Victor Ortiz in what is now the biggest international boxing event of 2011. The announcement of the fight, which will take place on Mexican Independence Day weekend, widely considered boxing’s biggest weekend, sends shock waves across the sports pages as there is no denying that the younger, stronger and current champion Ortiz poses an extremely credible threat to Mayweather, who returns to the ring after a 16-month hiatus. It is a highly competitive and very dangerous match-up that will give fans a chance to see the sport’s biggest star against the sport’s newest star in one ring on one very special night of boxing action.
   “I am ready to return to the ring and give my fans a fantastic night of boxing by fighting the best out there and for me, that is Victor Ortiz,” said Mayweather. “He is the current champion and an extremely talented fighter who showed amazing skills, and heart, in his last performance against Andre Berto. At this stage of my career, these are the challenges I look for, a young, strong, rising star looking to make his mark in boxing by beating me. Like the rest of my opponents, he is going to try to prove that he can beat me. I commend him for accepting the fight, but on September 17, Ortiz is just going to be another casualty, the 42nd one who tried and failed. Trust me, I will be ready.”
   Victor Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KO’s) is on fire. He is riding a six-fight undefeated streak including his sensational win over Andre Berto on April 16 of this year. The hard-punching southpaw proved himself throughout their 12-round battle when he survived a knock down in the sixth round and came back to drop Berto at the end of the sixth round in one of the most exciting fights in boxing this year. Ortiz, who was already known as one of the most powerful young fighters in the sport but was questioned in the past for his desire, showed the world that his heart matches his hands of steel when faced with the best in boxing. 
Covina’s John Molina Jr. returns to Temecula
   The Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, CA will host the June 24 ESPN2 “Friday Night Fights” doubleheader.
   In the main event, reigning WBC USNBC Lightweight Champion John Molina, Jr. (21-1, 17 KOs), from Covina, CA, will square off with Denver, CO tough veteran Robert “Red Hot” Frankel (28-10-1, 5 KOs). The semi-main event will feature Bakersfield, CA junior welterweight Mike “The Silent Assassin” Dallas, Jr. (17-1-1, 7 KOs) battling Mauricio “El Maestro” Herrera (17-1, 7 KOs), of Lake Elsinore, CA in an evenly matched bout on paper and a toss-up in the ring for the IBF North American Light Welterweight title. Both bouts are scheduled for 10-rounds. 
   When last seen on ESPN2, Molina overcame a huge deficit on the scorecards to score an impressive knockout victory over undefeated Hank Lundy to win his title back last July.
   “It’s kind of a unique situation for me,” the 28-year old Molina (ranked WBO #8, WBC # 10, WBA #11 and IBF #12) acknowledged. “I am building a collection of junior title belts as I work towards becoming a world champion. My belt is at stake at Pechanga on June 24, my chance to move closer to a world title shot is on the line. So you know I will be ready.”
   Also slated to see action on the undercard is 2008 Olympian Javier Molina (6-0, 4 KOs) of Norwalk, California.
   “To have local, world rated fighters fighting each other at the beautiful Pechanga Resort and Casino, is just another reason Pechanga has been the leader in California in bringing top level entertainment to their customers,” stated promoter Dan Goossen. “John Molina has a world championship opportunity hanging in the balance against a very tough challenger in Frankel, and Herrera is looking to use Dallas in his next step toward a title. All is set for a great night of world class fights.”

The week in Boxing: News on Mayweather’s return

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