Ortiz says he wants rematch

Victor Ortiz, a controversial knockout victim at the hands of unbeaten Floyd Mayweather, began pushing the case yesterday for a chance to regain the welterweight title in a rematch.

Mayweather flattened Ortiz one second before the end of the fourth round on September 17 while an unguarded Ortiz, his hands lowered after apologising to Mayweather for a head butt, was looking at referee Joe Cortez.

“That was an unfair way to take the title from a champion,” Ortiz said.

“I was disrespected by Floyd. I think a rematch would be perfect.

“To me that was not sportsmanship at all.”

Mayweather, 42-0 with 26 knockouts, took the World Boxing Council title and might be looking at such foes as superstar Manny Pacquiao or Amir Khan for a return to the ring in 2012 rather than face an Ortiz rematch.

“Victor apologised and Floyd punk-shotted him,” said Ortiz’s manager, Rolando Arellano.

“He’s not worthy of that title. The only way he’s going to be worthy is if he gives us a rematch and beats us fair and square.

“If he doesn’t give us a rematch his legacy will be tainted and tarred for the rest of his life.”

Oscar de la Hoya, Ortiz’s promoter and a split-decision loser to Mayweather in 2007, said Mayweather’s punch, while coming after Cortez resumed the fight after a break, was a poor end to a potentially epic fight.

“If Floyd Mayweather has any sort of honour, he’ll give Victor Ortiz the rematch,” de la Hoya said.

“This fight was barely warming up. Everyone was cheated from a great fight. We saw bad sportsmanship end this fight.

“We’ll never know what happened because of a cheap shot. Call it legal. Call it illegal. It was bad sportsmanship. That’s not the way to become a champion.”

Ortiz’s camp blamed Cortez for losing control of the fight, saying Ortiz only headbutted Mayweather after Mayweather repeatedly elbowed him with no action from Cortez.

“We saw at least 10 or 15 elbows coming from Floyd during the fight and Cortez looking at the elbows in Ortiz’s face,” de la Hoya said.

“I don’t think referee Cortez had control of that fight. He wasn’t fair and he wasn’t firm.”