Mayweather vs. Ortiz: Will Victor Ortiz Carry Pacquiao's Torch with a Win?

On Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, WBC welterweight champion Victor Ortiz will try to prove to the boxing world he can outsmart unbeaten Floyd Mayweather and emerge victorious despite majority predictions favoring his foe.

Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao said that Ortiz can be his torch-bearer when he retires from boxing to continue a career in politics and public service.

An upset win by Ortiz over Mayweather will be a dream come true for the former Kansas wanderer, whose mother abandoned him as a child for a relationship with another man.

Pacquiao and Ortiz have one thing in common: They both rose from poverty to become world boxing champions. Pacquiao, though, has a religious and loving mother, while Ortiz had the exact opposite.

A win by Ortiz will not make him an instant torch-bearer for Pacquiao, but it will definitely boost his chances of becoming a boxing icon and an inspirations for others who are similarly situated.

But what are Ortiz' chances for an upset win?

First and foremost is Ortiz's youth. He is at least a decade younger than Mayweather. He is definitely in his prime at 24, while Mayweather, who is past 34, is several years past his prime—if there is anyone out there who believes a boxer is in his prime between ages 26-32.

Secondly, Ortiz is a southpaw. Everyone knows Mayweather is having difficulty dealing with southpaws—something he has not dealt with seriously until now. Zab Judah and DeMarcus Corley gave Mayweather a difficult time, though he triumphed over them.

Another reason Ortiz could stage an upset is Mayweather's inactivity from the sport, which would reach 16 months by the time he squares off with Ortiz. On the other hand, Ortiz is fresh from his victory over Andre Berto and has fought at least four times since he won over Nate Campbell in May 2010. 

Capitalizing on his youth, strength, speed and his proven ability to rise and attack after hitting the floor (as many saw during his duel with Berto), there is little doubt Ortiz will inflict and deliver Mayweather's first taste of defeat come fight night on September 17.

Ortiz is a dreamer and is hungry for recognition. And if he finally makes it on Saturday night over the highly-rated Mayweather, he might just be the one Pacquiao had in mind to carry the torch.