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Victor Ortiz vs. Luis Collazo
Gino Garcia, Contributing Writer
Victor Ortiz vs. Luis Collazo should be an interesting matchup. Both fighters are southpaws and appear somewhat similar in power. I see a hungry Ortiz heading into this fight having lost his last two bouts. While comparing records, having fought some of the same opponents, Ortiz seems to be the overall, more well-rounded fighter. I think this fight will go the distance and turn out in favor of Ortiz by SD.
Prediction: Ortiz
Jose Sotomayor, Contributing Writer
This is an interesting fight. Luis Collazo is coming of a unanimous decision victory against Alan Sanchez. In that fight he looked poised and in control of the pressure. Victor Ortiz should be able to produce a little too much for Collazo. In spite of that, Ortiz is coming off a stoppage loss against Josesito Lopez. In that fight, Ortiz got caught with devastating shots to the jaw, causing it to break. The question here is; can Ortiz’s jaw hold up? I think it will.
Prediction: Ortiz
Gabe Rivas, Sr. Analyst
Victor Ortiz makes his comeback against a tough fighter in Luis Collazo. Collazo has always been one step away from world title success, but seems to come up short in his biggest fights. His fights with Hatton, Berto, and Shane Mosley ended with him losing via unanimous decision. Ortiz, although more successful, has also lost some of his bigger fights, namely his fights with Marcos Maidana, Josesito Lopez, and Floyd Mayweather. Both are also fighters who previously fought at 140 pounds. It is collision of fighters who are desperate to re-launch their names into the upper echelon of the Welterweight division for a possible–and probably final–title run. Despite their similarities, I think Ortiz has the edge in athleticism and power. I have Ortiz winning, but, as his bouts with Maidana and Lopez suggest, Ortiz can always lose a fight his promoters believe he is supposed to win.
Prediction: Ortiz
Lenin Santana, Photographer
Tough prediction here. I could see the fight going both ways. I think Luis Collazo has enough toughness and skill to give Victor Ortiz trouble. Ortiz’s time off and broken jaw will definitely play against him, but ultimately I think he’ll take the win. A lot of fans question Ortiz’s will to fight, which is understandable. He has folded in the past, however, Vic is a young guy and if his time off served him well then we should see a mentally strong “Vicious” Victor Ortiz.
Prediction: Ortiz
Juan Carlos Burgos, Contributing Writer
Victor Ortiz did not pick the easiest opponent for a comeback fight. The crafty Luis Collazo can pose fits to most fighters, but his relative inactivity, especially at the elite level, is why he may have been chosen. If your creating a checklist, Ortiz has most of the intangibles you are looking for except for one huge exception; heart. You hate to question anyone’s heart who enters the ring, but Ortiz does not do himself any favors. Ortiz should win this fight, but I won’t be surprised if Collazo is able to pull this one off. Still, I will believe in Victor once more. He has the power and athletic ability to make Collazo look like a fighter who has not been active at a world class level for a while.
Prediction: Ortiz
Alex Burgos, Editor-in-Chief
I’ve always been a big fan of Luis Collazo’s. I thought he got a raw deal in his bouts versus Ricky Hatton and Andre Berto and ultimately his career never took off like it could have. Well, here we are in 2014 and Collazo has a chance to notch a big win and throw his name in the mix for a world title shot. After having suffered numerous let downs with a few suspect decisions, Collazo will be ready to win in front of his hometown crowd. Victor Ortiz may be just as hungry as Collazo as he looks to win and justify a rematch with Floyd Mayweather Jr. The big question–as it’s always been–is Ortiz’s mental state. Boxing fans didn’t like his response to adversity against Marcos Maidana and Josesito Lopez and many people have dubbed him a quitter with no heart. Does he really want to be a fighter or does he want to dance with the stars and star in big budget films? Unfortunately, I don’t know if Collazo will be able to push Ortiz and ask those questions on Thursday night. Ortiz is younger and more explosive and should be able to earn a victory.
Prediction: Ortiz
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