Mayweather vs. Ortiz: Why Rematch Would Only Hurt Both Men

At the end of Saturday's fight, Floyd Mayweather said that he would give Victor Ortiz a rematch. It sounds good. Ortiz was the champion; the champion should deserve a rematch when they lose.

But it's not that simple. If a rematch happens, it shouldn't occur for a long time. Lastly, neither man should want it, at least not anytime soon.

Victor Ortiz

Right now, Ortiz is getting a lot of sympathy. I don't buy this perception, but a lot of people see Ortiz as a guy who was the victim of a Floyd Mayweather Jr. cheap shot.

Think about that for a second.

Even though it was only the fourth round, Ortiz was already significantly behind in the fight. Why would a rematch go any different?

If these two have a rematch and Mayweather wins convincingly, the impact of those punches is cut in half.

Even if people still see those as cheap shots, they go from "cheap shots" to "cheap shots that just made the inevitable occur a little earlier."

Now, I know what you're thinking. Ortiz could win.

Yes, he technically could. Technically, I could go into a ring with Floyd Mayweather and beat him. I am just not going to give it a shot.

Ortiz obviously has a better chance than I do, but Mayweather is clearly the superior fighter. A rematch and less controversial loss will do nothing to help Ortiz.

Floyd Mayweather

With Mayweather, it's much simpler. The fight that would bring him the most money is Manny Pacquiao.

Fair or not, the perception is that Mayweather is ducking Pacquiao. That's the one fight that would generate worldwide interest in boxing. Certainly, as it relates to non-heavyweight fights, it would be one of the most heavily anticipated matches in the history of the sport.

What good would it do Mayweather to step in the ring with anyone other than Pacquiao? For one, a rematch with Ortiz wouldn't generate anywhere near the money that a fight with Pacquiao would. Mayweather can sell a fight well, but nothing will even touch that.

If he fought Ortiz in a rematch, it would be nothing more than him taking on a fight against a guy that he easily beat. Yes, I know the knockout punch was questionable, but Mayweather was well ahead in points and following the same strategy that had given him an undefeated record.

If he takes any fight before Pacquiao, he also runs the risk of losing. Even if the risk isn't great, a loss from either man would only shrink the purse if they ever do fight.