Ortiz’s hands idle, but he’s not
For a guy who had his jaw broken, Victor Ortiz actually misses getting hit.
Of course, the former WBC welterweight champion misses hitting people, too. But Ortiz said the broken jaw he suffered June 23 in a loss to Josesito Lopez has healed and he’s merely being cautious before returning to the ring.
“I’ve got the green light,” Ortiz said at Las Vegas Convention Center during a promotional appearance at the International Consumer Electronics Show. “But I went to a specialist, and he recommended I wait another six months. So we’re looking at May or June for my return.”
Though Ortiz (29-4-2, 22 knockouts) said he’s frustrated about the wait, he’s not sitting around collecting dust.
“I’ve been busy with some big projects, and I’m making the most of my time off,” he said. “I’m getting into acting, and I’ve got a line of men’s skin care products and a cologne that just came out (VO By Victor Ortiz).
“In a way, it’s been kind of nice. I’ve never had this much time off since I turned pro (in 2004). But I miss the feeling of hitting somebody and even getting hit myself.”
Ortiz, 25, has time to bounce back. He would love another swing at Floyd Mayweather Jr., who took his WBC title with a fourth-round knockout Sept. 17, 2011, at the MGM Grand. He wouldn’t mind meeting Lamont Peterson again; they fought to a 10-round draw at Mandalay Bay in 2010. If Timothy Bradley, Zab Judah, Danny Garcia or Amir Khan want to face him, he said he’s ready for them, too.
“Line ’em up,” Ortiz said. “They’ll be the pins, and I’ll be the bowling ball.”
Ortiz said he has not hired a trainer since he and Danny Garcia parted last summer. Ortiz is considering Freddie Roach, Virgil Hunter, Kevin Cunningham and Floyd Mayweather Sr.
“But there’s no rush since I don’t have a fight yet,” he said.
True enough. Ortiz said he has yet to talk with his promoter, Golden Boy Promotions, about a return to the ring.
“I’m hoping to sit down with them in the next month and figure out what’s next,” Ortiz said.
Meanwhile, Ortiz is keeping busy and in shape. He appeared at the International CES for Luvitt, a company that manufactures protective cases for mobile devices and tablets. Ortiz plans to run in the Honkers Motivational Marathon on Sunday in Anaheim, Calif.
“I’ve never (run a marathon) before, so I’m excited,” said Ortiz, who will run alongside Las Vegan Diego Magdaleno, the unbeaten NABF super featherweight champ. “I love testing myself.”
Ortiz’s foremost challenge when he returns to the ring will be to show he can take a punch on his mended right jaw. Last year, Ortiz was beating Lopez when he was unable to continue after the ninth round in their 12-round fight at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
By losing, Ortiz missed out on a well-paying matchup against WBC junior middleweight champ Saul “Canelo” Alvarez. Instead, Lopez got the bout and absorbed a fifth-round technical knockout by Alvarez on Sept. 15 at the MGM Grand, a fight that paid Lopez $212,500.
Ortiz is confident he can shrug off the consecutive losses to Mayweather and Lopez and resurrect his career.
“I’m not worried about becoming irrelevant,” he said. “If boxing’s forgotten about me, I’ll have the mainstream to support me.”
Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.