Legendary Boxing Referee Reveals the Ugly Truth Behind Floyd Mayweather vs Victor Ortiz

A famous boxing referee has revealed some shocking news regarding one of the most controversial fights in recent history. Joe Cortez, who is one of the most reputed referees in the sport, provided fans some unbelievable details of the Floyd Mayweather-Victor Ortiz fight. The referee who has been at the heart of some famous clashes like Tyson-Holmes, Duran-Barkley, and many more, spoke to the AHAT YouTube channel.

When asked if there’s one fight he wishes he never refereed, he said, “Well, I know everybody thinking about that Victor Ortiz vs Floyd Mayweather, where Victor Ortiz head-butted Mayweather.”

The man in the eye of the storm said, “I cut about two points for him. He hugged him, said ‘I’m sorry’, kissed him one time. ‘I’m sorry’, kissed him, and hugged him the second time. I said, ‘alright, two points deducted’ to the judges, called time with the timekeeper. And he again went to touch gloves with Floyd Mayweather.”

“Floyd Mayweather saw that I gave time in, He said, ‘hell no’. He hit him with a left, and a right, and knocked him out.”

He even explained why he could not deem it illegal. It was because he had started time and the fight was in progress.

READ: Floyd Mayweather slams the sanctioning bodies in boxing for too many belts.

Joe Cortez revealed that Ortiz’s trainers told him to headbutt Mayweather

What was even more shocking was that Cortez said that Ortiz received instructions to headbutt Mayweather.

He said, “Every time I see him he says, ‘Joe man, I apologize on that’. I’m like, ‘forget about it brother’. He said, ‘my trainers told me to headbutt Mayweather’. He said, ‘I got rid of all those guys’, he said, ‘I never dealt with those guys again’, He said, ‘They got me in trouble that night, it’s not your fault Joe. It’s my own fault, and they told to use that dirty tactic and you know.”

This will shock a lot of fans of a sport where respect in the ring is a must. Happenings like this become a really big deal and alienate the purists.

Joe Cortez also revealed his regret for how he managed proceedings in the heat of the moment.

He said, “I could have done something a little different. I could have kept them apart further, I could have got right in between them, had them touch gloves. I could have little things a little different you know.”

It is safe to say boxing fans don’t feel the same way. This is because fans consider the KO punch an intentional act rather than an impulsive act. That fight will go down as one of the most infamous fights in recent history. How well do you remember it?