Boxing Monthly: The Safest Bets

Boxing Monthly: The Safest Bets

Mark E. Ortega

February 2014 ed. of Boxing Monthly

I was lucky to get included in renowned British boxing magazine Boxing Monthly this month. This is my fourth appearance in the publication, this time a six-page spread detailing 14 prospects to keep your eye on as well as five unbeatens I think will lose their perfect record this year.

Q&A: Merchant on Mayweather-Canelo, Zou Shiming

Q&A: Merchant on Mayweather-Canelo, Zou Shiming
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
September 3, 2013


After a quiet Labor Day weekend, RingTV.com contributor Mark E. Ortega got in touch with legendary analyst Larry Merchant on Tuesday afternoon via phone. Merchant gave his thoughts on the highly anticipated fight next Saturday between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Saul Alvarez, along with his thoughts on Chinese amateur star-turned-pro Zou Shiming and his impact on the sport.

RingTV: Obviously, there’s a pretty big fight coming up between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Saul Alvarez. I’m curious, if Canelo were able to pull off the victory, where would you rank that among the biggest wins in Mexican boxing history?

Larry Merchant: It would certainly be a major earthquake for many fans, and for Mexican fans it would be a huge event because prizefighting is so important to them. They, in fact, discovered and anointed Canelo to be their next superstar, so it would be a very big deal.

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Sanchez Jr. loses title but outpoints Sosa

Sanchez Jr. loses title but outpoints Sosa
Mark E. Ortega
RingTV.com
June 9, 2013


It was previously reported early Saturday morning on RingTV.com that though IBF 115-pound titleholder Juan Carlos Sanchez Jr. came in two ounces overweight, the IBF allowed him to defend his title against Argentine challenger Roberto Domingo Sosa.

That morning, the IBF decided to change their tune, vacating the title and allowing only Sosa to fight for it. Sanchez Jr.'s promoters, Zanfer and Panchito Promotions, were upset at this development as their fighter would have been granted an additional try to make the weight had it been discussed at the weigh-in.

Though Sanchez Jr. lost his title on the scales, he prevailed unanimously over a game Sosa in a mostly technical fight. Sanchez Jr. did his best work in an action-packed fourth round and then later in the 12th, when he knocked down Sosa to close the show.

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Bits and pieces: Fortuna-Zamudio lands in Atlantic City

Bits and pieces: Fortuna-Zamudio lands in Atlantic City

Mark E. Ortega

RingTV.com

March 19, 2013

The following “bits and pieces” of boxing news and items were compiled by RingTV.com contributor Mark E. Ortega during the Tim Bradley-Ruslan Provodnikov card last Saturday. 

Fortuna-Zamudio lands in AC 

 The April 19 ESPN2 Friday Night Fights card promoted by Sampson Lewkowicz has found a home. Undefeated featherweight contender Javier Fortuna will face unheralded Miguel Zamudio in Atlantic City at the Tropicana Casino & Resort, according to Nathan Lewkowicz, an executive at the promotional company as well as Sampson's son.

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Jessie Vargas pounds out decision over Vito Gasparyan

Jessie Vargas pounds out decision over Vito Gasparyan
Mark E. Ortega
Queensberry-Rules.com
December 8, 2012

LAS VEGAS—In the second night of Top Rank's boxing extravaganza in Las Vegas, local welterweight contender Jessie Vargas pounded out a 10 round unanimous decision over durable Vito Gasparyan of Glendale, Calif. at the Texas Station Gambling Hall on Friday night.

Vargas did a lot of solid work to the body, which helped slow Gasparyan down much earlier than he would have liked. Gasparyan landed, but it was usually arm punches around the guard of Vargas rather than flush shots on the chin.

Vargas opened up early in the fight and allowed Gasparyan catch him with solid counters. Vargas then adjusted his gameplan to fight more on the inside, as he was on Gasparyan's chest for much of the night.

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