Griffin takes one more shot

Griffin takes one more shot

Mark E. Ortega

Freelance

March 8, 2013

It is interesting sometimes to think about how different a career could've gone if one thing went different.

If Zab Judah hadn't done the funky chicken against Kostya Tszyu in 2001, his career wouldn't have been taken off course by a suspension he earned for grabbing referee Jay Nady by the throat.

Prince Naseem Hamed probably wouldn't have opted for an early retirement if Marco Antonio Barrera hadn't handily embarrassed him just a few months later.

Griffin and Mack play it to the bone

Griffin and Mack play it to the bone

Mark E. Ortega

UndisputedFightMag.com

January 10, 2011

In boxing, they say friends don't make for good fights.

On February 4^th, light heavyweights Otis “Triple OG” Griffin [23-6-2, 9 KOs] and Yusaf Mack [28-3-2, 17 KOs], friends for a number of years, will be looking across the ring at each other with a IBF world title shot being the spoils to the winner. What makes this fight different from many other clashes amongst friends is that neither man is already at the top of the sport.

Consider this fight a real life version of the 1999 boxing comedy “Play It to the Bone”, which starred Antonio Banderas and Woody Harrelson as fringe contenders who trained out of the same gym and were given the opportunity to fight each other for a shot at the world title.

In that film, Woddy Harrelson as Vince Boudreau said “The worst thing in the ring you wanna feel is compassion.”

Griffin ready for Left Hook Lacy

Griffin ready for Left Hook Lacy

Mark E. Ortega

Ultimateboxingresults.com

April 9, 2009

Tomorrow night Jeff “Left Hook” Lacy returns to the ring on the comeback trail against Sacramento, California native Otis Griffin, the winner of the Oscar De La Hoya boxing reality show “The Next Great Champ”. The fight is widely being considered a tune-up fight for Lacy, but Griffin and trainer/manager John Tandy welcome the challenge.

“I feel Lacy is overlooking me, and I am glad,” said Griffin . “I read in one of his interviews not long ago that he thought he was fighting Otis Grant, I love it.”

Tales from the Tape: Castillo-Casamayor and The Ring 135-pound title

Tales from the Tape: Castillo-Casamayor and The Ring 135-pound title

Mark E. Ortega

Ultimateboxingresults.com

February 25, 2009 

With this Saturday being the highly anticipated clash between Juan Manuel Marquez and Juan Diaz for Marquez’ Ring Magazine 135-pound title (and now the WBA and WBO titles as well), I thought it would be an excellent chance to take a look back at a card featuring another fight for the 135-pound world title from a few years back between champion Jose Luis Castillo and Joel Casamayor. With Nate Campbell moving up to 140-pounds after failing to make weight a few weekends ago against Ali Funeka and Manny Pacquiao set to fight Ricky Hatton for the 140-pound world title, Marquez-Diaz has become a bout between the clearly two best fighters in the entire division. 

Similarly, when Floyd Mayweather, Jr. moved up from lightweight in 2004, it made Jose Luis Castillo’s bout with Juan Lazcano not only for the vacant WBC 135-pound title, but for the vacant Ring Magazine title as well as Castillo and Lazcano were recognized as the #1 and #2 fighters in the division. Castillo won a close decision in a memorable fight, making him the recognized #1 fighter in the division. At the same time, Diego Corrales and Joel Casamayor, fresh off their rematch that saw Corrales awarded with a split decision victory, were both making the move to 135-pounds instantly making it one of the hottest divisions in the sport. A string of title would go off one after another between the likes of Casamayor, Castillo, Corrales, Acelino Freitas, and Julio Diaz. Add to that the emergence of the young and exciting Juan Diaz and you had a lot of excitement being generated in one of the premiere weight classes.