BOXING 101

In yet another twist of irony within the world of boxing, it has been learned from BoxingScene.com that former welterweight champion Victor Ortiz had a second surgery on his broken jaw over a week ago. This news comes a day following the announcement that Andre Berto, Ortiz's nemesis and original opponent who was scheduled for a rematch this past June, will be fighting Robert Guerrero in November after a year-long absence from the ring.

Ortiz (29-4-2, 22 KO's) sustained the broken jaw against Josesito Lopez in a fight that was initially supposed to be a highly anticipated rematch of the 2011 "Fight of the Year" against Berto on June 23 at The Staples Center. When Berto tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid, he was replaced by the lightly regarded Lopez. 

Lopez was given so little respect that Golden Boy Promotions went so far as to announce Ortiz as an opponent for WBC light middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez in September even before the June bout took place. It was here where Ortiz suffered two fractures on the right side of his jaw, forcing him to retire at the end of Round 9 and losing the lucrative opportunity to face Alvarez for a second world title.

The day after the fight, Ortiz had surgery to repair the fractures. A titanium plate was inserted in his jaw along with three screws during the two-hour operation. Ortiz's mouth was also wired closed and remained that way for a few weeks during the expected six-week healing process. The bones have reportedly not aligned properly, requiring a second surgery. 

Ortiz previously indicated that he would like to exercise the rematch clause to meet Lopez again. This setback not only pushes back his return to the ring, but it also raises questions regarding the status of his career which is in a complete state of flux at the moment. Ortiz has since fired trainer Danny Garcia and has apparently split with manager Rolando Arrellano, he is perceived as a fighter who does not have the mental fortitude to be at a world class level given the manner in which he lost to Lopez, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Marcos Maidana, and he may not be able to mentally overcome an injury of this magnitude.

Unless Ortiz is able to significantly improve his defensive skills along with his body and mind, this could potentially be a career-ending injury for this 25-year old bruiser.

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Tags: Andre Berto, Boxing, Josesito Lopez, Victor Ortiz

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