Victor Ortiz has dismissed Floyd Mayweather’s future Hall of Fame credentials by claiming a prime Zab Judah is the greater fighter.
The comment was made a week ago when during a Golden Boy media conference call. When asked about Mayweather’s merits as a welterweight, Ortiz claimed that his September 17 opponent is vulnerable at 147 pounds.
“He’s way overdue. He’s not supposed to be here,” Ortiz said. “He’s definitely not supposed to be a 147 pounder and I’m going to see to it that he knows that.”
Ortiz said Mayweather was never included in the group of fighters he looked up to as a child. Even now as a professional fighter, he states fellow southpaw Zab Judah showed a “greatness” that Mayweather has never had in his career.
“You know what, Floyd is a good fighter. But, I’ve never thought he was great; ever since I was a kid,” Ortiz said. “You know when you’re a little boy, you sit back and you say, ‘Wow. That guy’s good. That guy’s great.’ Oscar was one of those for me. Mosley was definitely one of those for me. Bernard Hopkins was one of those for me. In his prime, Zab Judah was one of those for me. And Floyd, not in his prime, not in his come up, not in his anything, he’s ever been that to me. So, I’m definitely not impressed for one, and I’m not a person who’s going to hold any kind of respect like those 41 other victims.”
In 2006, Mayweather decisioned Judah in a highly anticipated welterweight matchup with scores of 119-109, 116-112 and 117-111. After initially having problems with Judah’s hand speed, Mayweather abandoned his normal movement and stalked Judah with right hands behind a high guard to great success. Being a southpaw that’s been dropped twice in his last two bouts with rights hands, Ortiz says he’s addressed his mistakes and isn’t worried about Mayweather being able to capitalize on any of his flaws.
“I work on everything, on something, every training camp. But, as far as I’m concerned, there are no concerns on my end about Floyd, period,” stated Ortiz. “Don’t care how good he thinks he is or you guys think he is, I’m set in stone and I’m ready to go.”
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