This is a question I've seen brought up a few times, and wanted to get everyone's thoughts on it.
Simple question: If the finish of Mayweather vs Ortiz had been the other way around, with Ortiz laying out a vulnerable Mayweather, would the reaction have been different?
In other words, would more people be celebrating a knockout of Floyd Mayweather Jr than are celebrating Floyd Mayweather Jr knocking out a prone Ortiz?
Mayweather, as we all know, is boxing's biggest villain, probably even more disliked than Antonio Margarito, who may in fact be more villainous, but isn't as well-known. And I don't mean to ask this question only toward your own, personal tastes. Whether or not your opinion would change is one thing, but what do you think about all the casual fans who pay attention to only a few fights a year, who "hate" Mayweather and his character but pay purposely for his fights in the hope that he will lose? Would those folks be outraged or disgusted the way many are by Mayweather treating Ortiz like a sucker who deserved no better than he got?
My own gut feeling is that the reaction probably winds up more leaning toward a "point and laugh at the chump" attitude. But I may be wrong. It would particularly lean this way if an absurd Mayweather foul on par with Ortiz's had occurred beforehand. "He had it coming," would be the consensus. Perhaps not among our readers here, but we lean more toward the diehard boxing fan sect and I think biases count for less in our group.
What do you think?