Mayweather vs. Ortiz: Floyd Mayweather's 5 Best Quotes Leading Up to Fight

With the megafight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. (41-0, 25 KO) and Victor Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KO) just days away, the anticipation for the fight is steadily growing with the best of both fighters' pre-fight interviews.

Mayweather is never short on quotes, and these five quotes give boxing fans a look into his mindset for the fight, which goes down on Sept. 17 on HBO PPV.

Ortiz comes into the fight off a upset victory over Andre Berto. It would be an even bigger upset if he can somehow defeat his undefeated opponent.

Mayweather hasn't fought since defeating Shane Mosley in May, 2010. His time off has kept him from being ranked among the best fighters in the world, but his quotes definitely show why he should still be ranked there.

“I’m Not Looking for Knockouts, It’s Just Some Fighters Go into Survival Mode"

“I’m not looking for knockouts, it’s just that some fighters go into survival mode. Mosley & Marquez did it. Hatton was different. He came to fight.” From pre-fight conference call.

Floyd is often criticized for not knocking out his opponents, but he's right in saying a lot of his opponents realize they don't have a chance after several rounds, or less, when they actually fight him. This makes them less likely to engage and just look for the final bell while saving themselves from going out on their shield.

Even against Pacquiao, Mosley showed going into survival mode can work against the most aggressive opponents while securing themselves a fight that goes the distance, even if it looks bad in the process.

There's a good chance Ortiz will come to fight, even if he realizes he might get knocked out.

"20 Years from Now, They'll Say Floyd Fought the Best"

"20 Years From Now, They'll Say Floyd Fought The Best."

When boxing fans reflect on Mayweather's career, they will remember him for fighting and defeating some of the very best fighters, even if they weren't the best when they finally stepped into the ring with the six-time world champion.

The word "undefeated" carries a lot of momentum behind it, and only the most highly-regarded boxers have remained undefeated at the highest levels.

At 41-0, Mayweather puts himself in an elite class of undefeated champions like Rocky Marciano (49-0), Joe Calzaghe (46-0) and Ricardo Lopez (51-0). He has done it fighting most of the best fighters in the super-featherweight, lightweight and welterweight classes, and he’s been dominant throughout his 15-year professional career.

The final step in securing his legacy will be a fight with Manny Pacquiao.

"They Put 41 in Front of Me, and 41 Came Up Short"

"They Put 41 in Front of Me, and 41 Came Up Short."

While this doesn't sound like a promo for why you should purchase the PPV and expect a competitive fight, it does bring intrigue over whether or not Mayweather can actually remain undefeated, and that's the question that all of his fights are built around.

Ortiz replied "not this one" while in front of Mayweather during the HBO face-off when he said the quote.

Is Ortiz really going to be the one to hand him his first loss? The 24-year-old is 10 years younger than his opponent and already has two losses on his record. He has nothing to lose in this fight, and he will be going in as much as an 8-to-1 underdog.

Mayweather has everything to lose, and a "1" on the other side of his record could mean the end of his dominant run as a leading PPV fighter. The majority of people who purchase his fights only buy them to see him lose so what will his draw be if he finally does? We may never find out if his opponents keep coming up short.

"They Want the Floyd Mayweather from the 90s so That's What I Got To Give Them"

"They Want the Floyd Mayweather from the 90s so That's What I Got to Give Them."

After winning a bronze medal in the 1996 Olympics, Mayweather achieved winning his first world title when he defeated the late Genaro Hernandez in 1998 to win the WBC super featherweight championship.

He would defend that title four more times before the end of 1999 against Angel Manfredy, Carlos Rios, Justin Juuko and Carlos Gerena. His record would extend to 22-0 before the end of the decade.

19 fights later, and Mayweather finds himself in front of Ortiz, who was only 11 at the time Floyd won his first world title.

The five-division world champion averaged two fights a year for the past 10 years with his standout performances being against Arturo Gatti, Diego Corrales and the rematch with Jose Luis Castillo.

It has been a while since Mayweather has given fans a fight they will remember him for, but this could certainly be the one if he fights like he did earlier in his career.

"This Fight Won't Go the Distance"

The first quote on the list had to do with Mayweather's opponent going into "survival mode," but nobody is expecting Ortiz to do that. What they can expect is a possible knockout from either guy.

Although Mayweather has only had one knockout in the last five years, many of his opponents haven’t been there to get hit, and he isn’t one to force the action. Ortiz is.

The one man “Money May” did knock out was Ricky Hatton, and the “Hitman’s” style played right into his hands. His come-forward brawling attack left him open for counter shots, and that's just what he got in the 10th round in the form of a left hook, getting knocked out and defeated for the first time in his career.

Ortiz has the ability to brawl and box, and he faced adversity more than once, getting knocked down in both of his fights with Marcos Maidana and Berto. His only legitimate loss was when he refused to continue in the fight with Maidana after being cut and knocked down by the fighter from Argentina. His other loss is by disqualification.

Even if this fight does go the full 12 rounds, don't expect the boxers to fight like they want it to. Expect to see a lot of action Saturday night.