Victor Ortiz ready for ring return

El Broham is back and ready for action, he says. Victor Ortiz (30-5-2, 23 KOs) will be back in the ring for the first time in a year since he broke his wrist on a knockout blow delivered to Manuel Perez last December. On a scheduled December 12th Premier Boxing Champions card, Ortiz will be taking on the always dangerous TBD in a welterweight fight.

"As far as being in camp, it's been very helpful to be back in the gym and working with a great team. Joel Diaz is no joke. He's making me sure I'm at my best," Ortiz said. "Not much has changed in or out of the gym. I finally get to get back in the ring with my wrist finally healed. I wasn't trying to stay away. I was forced out of it. I broke it in four places. It's all healed thankfully. Feels great."

"Boxing is my life and my passion. It's what I love to do and what I was born to do," Ortiz said. "I'm going to keep doing it until I can't anymore."

Yes, I agree, boxing does seem to be Ortiz's passion...right up until he gets punched in the face. "I don't think I deserve to get beaten up like this" was the quote, if I remember correctly. Since losing that fight to Marcos Maidana some years ago, Ortiz has shown the duality in her persona. To me, he seemed like a fighter who loved to dish it out but couldn't take it. I believed that about him right up until he battled back and forth with Andre Berto in a great fight that finally saw him overcome the stigma of a "quitter."

But then he got his jaw cracked by Josesito Lopez, which caused Ortiz to retire on his stool (which I don't criticize him for). And then, upon his return from that injury, we saw Ortiz effectively quit once again after Luis Collazo landed the first clean shot on that jaw (which probably gave him flashbacks of his mouth being wired shut). I won't say the shot from Collazo didn't hurt, but it certainly appeared like he could've gotten up and just didn't want to.

Ortiz says he wants to fight, so fine, fight. But don't show up just to lie down if the going gets tough (which it probably won't against TBA). I have no problems with any fighter who decides they don't want to take any more punches, but don't try to fool the fans just to cash another paycheck.

I suppose I can at least take solace in knowing this fight is on free television...