NEW YORK, June 28, 2011 – HBO Sports’ groundbreaking “24/7” reality franchise, which has captured 14 Sports Emmy® Awards, returns in August for its tenth boxing installment with 24/7 MAYWEATHER/ORTIZ, an all-new four-episode, all-access series, it was announced today by Ross Greenburg, president, HBO Sports. Debuting SATURDAY, AUG. 27 (10:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT), the series will follow two elite fighters in one of boxing’s most competitive divisions as they prepare for their intriguing pay-per-view showdown at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Sept. 17.
“ ‘24/7’ excels when there are great characters and compelling drama, and this fight has both,” noted Greenburg. “The return of Floyd Mayweather, with his larger-than-life personality, and the odyssey of Victor Ortiz, with his inspiring tale of perseverance and achievement, provide the perfect backdrop for this new edition of ‘24/7.’ ”
Episodes two and three of 24/7 MAYWEATHER/ORTIZ debut on subsequent Saturdays – Sept. 3 (10:00-10:30 p.m.) and 10 (10:00-10:30 p.m.) – while the finale debuts Friday, Sept. 16 (9:00-9:30 p.m.), the night before the high-stakes welterweight bout. All four episodes will have multiple replay dates on HBO, and the series will also be available on HBO On Demand® and HBO GO.
24/7 MAYWEATHER/ORTIZ will provide exclusive behind-the-scenes access, along with in-depth interviews, as the fighters prepare for their 147-pound world title fight. A native of Grand Rapids, Mich., the talented and opinionated Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs) has evolved into a celebrated superstar, and now resides in Las Vegas. Kansas native Victor Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KOs) survived a turbulent upbringing and currently lives in Oxnard, Cal. He shocked the boxing world with a win over the previously undefeated Andre Berto on HBO last April, claiming a 147-pound title.
This fast-paced series will capture the interactions and rigors both men experience in preparing for their contest. Making his fifth “24/7” appearance, Mayweather is expected to surround himself with a familiar contingent of family and friends as he trains with trusted longtime trainer and uncle Roger Mayweather. Ortiz is making his “24/7” debut.
24/7 MAYWEATHER/ORTIZ is the latest installment of the acclaimed “24/7” franchise that began in 2007. At the 2011 Sports Emmy® Awards, “24/7” was recognized with two Emmys® for production excellence and is the most honored sports series on television over the past four years, earning 14 Sports Emmys®.
The St. Petersburg Times has noted, “The best sports reality show on television is HBO’s ‘24/7.’ ”
On Saturday, Sept. 17 at 9:00 p.m. (ET)/6:00 p.m. (PT), HBO Pay-Per-View presents “Mayweather vs. Ortiz,” live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
The executive producers of 24/7 MAYWEATHER/ORTIZ are Ross Greenburg and Rick Bernstein; senior producer, Dave Harmon; coordinating producers, Scott Boggins and Bentley Weiner; producer, Abtin Motia; writer, Aaron Cohen. Liev Schreiber narrates.
World Boxing Council News: Chavez-Zbik, Alvarez-Rhodes, More!
June 28, 2011 – By José Sulaimán: Who do you believe, your eyes or me? I feel to be a citizen of the world in boxing, but a mexican in other sports. I was overwhelmed with the victory of our National soccer team -17 years old – over Holland and also with the great victory of the National Mexican team over the USA to win the Gold Cup 2010 and qualify for the Confederations Cup, especially when the USA team had a few more victories than losses with Mexico during the last 10 years. But I was extremely happy when I saw the four teams exchanging shirts among the contending players with a friendly and mutually respect, just as everybody can see when both boxers after a tough fight go to the center of the ring to hug and express their mutual respect.
I sincerely hope that this sign of sportsmanship and mutual respect among the youth of the nations will be a needed change of mental attitude among human beings, as an example to all nations to leave concord and peace as a sign of their passing through life, as we are not but actors in a life where who play better gains success. I congratulate my dear friend and president of the Mexican Futbol Federation, Justino Compeán, for these victories so necessary for the Mexican people, ardent to demonstrate that the Mexico that some picture is not the Mexico that we live and love.
I started my boxing tour witnessing Mexico’s Julio César Chavez Jr. win a close victory over Sebastian Zbik of Germany, who had 200 fights in amateur boxing and had been undefeated in more than 30 professional fights, for winning the WBC Middleweight Championship of the World in a fight that was decided during the last two rounds on the cards of the judges. Julio César won with his power and his indomitable heart, but Zbik let the title go after a courageous effort and lost it with dignity and pride. Julio César Jr. Finally obtained the WBC green and gold belt that his father, the great Julio César, had won and fought for on a record 37 times !!
I also read the questioning of a few Mexican media about his fighting against such a tough rival without considering that he won the title from the champion, as well as a questioning about what they called “easy” victory of Canelo Alvarez over Ryan Rhodes from England – who is the champion of Europe, of the Commonwealth and of Britain! – when I saw the Canelo Alvarez that I had not seen before with speed, the right distance, right movements and combinations of rightly thrown and beautiful punches.
I sincerely give both of them a standing ovation, for those two young Mexican boys won for Mexico the world title of two great traditional divisions, where in the middleweights immortal champions have held the world title, like Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard, Carlos Monzon, Marvin Hagler, Rocky Graziano, Tony Zale, Carmen Basilio, Jack LaMotta, Marcel Cerdán and Sergio Martínez himself, who Julio Cesar Chavez will for sure devote his life.
On the super welterweight title, there are also those who have written their names with golden letters in the history of boxing, their great boxing careers like Nino Benvenuti, Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran, Emile Griffith, Tommy Hearns, Oscar de la Hoya, Tito Trinidad, and Manny Pacquiao himself, who are a list of greats that Canelo Alvarez will have as a target for greatness.
Here it comes to my mind that boxing commentators have the most difficult job of all sports, and that is why I respect them so much and the same happens with writers. However, baseball, football, soccer, basketball and all others are not the same speed as commentating as boxing. In those sports, commentators have time for a perfect relation of actions, and talk about records and other matters. Television, that doesn’t have 3D, is really almost impossible to describe what is happening in a boxing match when there are flurries of punches, so the time comes when TV viewers do believe more what they hear than what they see.
A Groucho Marx story comes to mind when he was in a hotel with a woman. When his wife arrived and opened the door with exploding fury and said, “Groucho, you’re with another woman in bed?” and Groucho shouted back “What woman? Where? I am by myself, and who do you believe more, your eyes or me?”
Sports are struggling to get new heroes to come to the idolatry of the people to cover that of who are soon to go or gone already. There are many countries that are succeeding, with Mexico being one of them. About 30 Mexican major leaguers are doing very well, soccer in Mexico is doing much better than before obtaining already the Gold Cup, while in boxing there are already six World Boxing Council (WBC) world champions in the flyweight, featherweight, lightweight, super welterweight and the middleweight divisions.
I take the opportunity to express my personal pride for all those victories that have sold out arenas and broken television records of viewers as never before, in games, matches, bouts, in an exciting time of passion and peace, as not one single incident has happened, as if all athletes are trying to show the world “the other” Mexico, where we live and are happy, our Mexico with its hospitable and happy doors that are open to all our friends in the world.
Mayweather vs. Ortiz: Sat., Sept. 17 Presented Live By HBO Pay-Per-View
New York, NY (June 28)…It’s the biggest against the best and it doesn’t get much better or brighter. Boxing’s biggest star, undefeated Floyd “Money” Mayweather, and its newest star, WBC Welterweight World Champion “Vicious” Victor Ortiz, will align their super powers when they meet in “STAR POWER: Mayweather vs. Ortiz.” The mega-fight, which will be contested for Ortiz’s WBC Welterweight World Championship, will take place Saturday, Sept. 17 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nev. and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT.
Star Power, promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions, and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, AT&T and DeWALT Tools, falls on Mexican Independence Day weekend and is already being touted as boxing’s biggest and best match-up of 2011. It’s a contest of galactic proportions that will have fans worldwide waiting in a Milky Way of anticipation for one of the most intriguing and exciting fights in recent years.
One of the most recognized athletes in the world today, the highly decorated Mayweather, who is undefeated as well as a six-Time and five-division world champion, announced his return via Twitter (@floydmayweather) earlier this month and is being commended for pursuing a fight against the young, hard-hitting southpaw Ortiz, 10 years his junior and undoubtedly one of his most challenging contests to date.
“I am excited to get back in the ring because Victor Ortiz is a great challenge for me,” said Mayweather, who will be returning to the ring after a 16-month layoff. “Ortiz is a young, fast, and very strong champion so this is not going to be easy, but I will prepare myself with the same dedication I have always had for my fights and show fans around the world that I am the best boxer in the world today. I am also looking forward to fighting on Mexican Independence Day weekend. I love all my fans and know I have a lot of Mexican fans cheering for me too.”
Ortiz, who captured his current WBC Welterweight title with a dazzling performance in a victory over Andre Berto April 16, said, “I have always said that I would be the first fighter to beat Floyd Mayweather and now that I have my chance, and to do it on a weekend that celebrates the independence of the Mexican people, is an amazing blessing for me. I have worked so hard to become a champion and to show the world that I am the best. I am not going to let anyone take that away from me. I’m confident that I will walk away from this fight with my belt and a new title…the first to defeat Floyd Mayweather.”
“The excitement surrounding Floyd’s return has been amazing and is always an indication of his popularity and drawing power among fans worldwide,” said Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions. “I wasn’t surprised when Floyd said he wanted to fight Ortiz because he likes to be challenged when he fights and Victor, with the skills and heart of a young lion, is exactly that type of challenge he relishes. I have no doubt that the stars will sparkle, shine and collide in that ring on September 17 and that the sports world is going to be in for a great fight. We welcome Floyd’s return as his fights are always sensational.”
Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, said, “The stars aligned for this true mega-fight and there is no doubt that September 17 will be the biggest boxing event of 2011 anywhere in the world. When Floyd Mayweather fights, everyone watches as he continues to set the bar for most pay-per-view buys and this fight will be no different. He is also going to be challenged by a very special talent in the young, strong and highly motivated World Champion Victor Ortiz, who knows that a win over the pound-for-pound champion will catapult him into superstardom. It’s a showdown of two great champions colliding and one that I can’t wait to see.”
“The MGM Resorts family is very excited to welcome the return of Floyd Mayweather to the MGM Grand on September 17,” said Richard Sturm, president of Sports & Entertainment for MGM Resorts International. “This championship event marks Mayweather’s first fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in more than 15 months and continues our tradition as the leader in the sports and entertainment industry.”
Mark Taffet, Senior Vice President, HBO Pay-Per-View, agreed and said, “The return of Floyd Mayweather is big news for the sport of boxing. He is a major attraction and must-see TV. Fight fans will be excited to see him put his experience, style and undefeated record on the line against the youth and punching power of the fast-rising Victor Ortiz.”
The undefeated, six-time world champion in five weight divisions, Floyd Mayweather (41-0, 25 KOs) remains boxing’s biggest attraction, wowing crowds and generating tremendous box office and pay-per-view numbers each time he steps into the ring. Three of his last four fights generated more than one million pay-per-view buys, including his record-shattering bout against Oscar de la Hoya in 2007, which generated 2.44 million buys, the highest performing pay-per-view event in history. In his last ring appearance on May 1, 2010, Mayweather dismantled Sugar Shane Mosley in a lopsided unanimous decision victory. Mayweather is no stranger to fighting on the traditionally boxing rich Mexican Independence Day weekend, as prior to his sensational win over Mosley, he took on Mexican boxing star Juan Manuel Marquez on September 19, 2009, and beat his opponent in spectacular fashion. During his extraordinary career, he has amassed wins over world champions including Diego Corrales, Jose Luis Castillo, Arturo Gatti, Zab Judah, De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton.
In addition to his boxing accomplishments, Mayweather has become a crossover star, appearing in HBO®’s Emmy® Award-winning reality series “24/7” four separate times, providing cameras with an all access look at his training and personal life. His name never leaves the conscience of boxing or sports fans as news of his career continues to trend worldwide, a testament to his nearly 1.3 million Twitter followers, the latest indication of a famed person’s popularity.
Twenty-four-year-old “Vicious” Victor Ortiz (29-2-2, 22 KOs) is the definition of a new and shining star. From a tumultuous childhood that left him in foster care at the age of 13 to a meteoric rise above obstacles to become a world champion, Ortiz’s story both in and out of the ring is one to be admired. Introduced to boxing by his father at the age of seven, Ortiz and his siblings soon had to deal with life on their own after both parents abandoned them when Ortiz was 12 years old. Resilient and determined to make something of his life, Ortiz found salvation in the ring and saw boxing as a way towards future success.
Ortiz’s grit and determination has shown up throughout his boxing career. A highly touted amateur, he turned pro in 2004 and has persevered through its highs and lows to become the champion he is today. He is currently riding a six-fight undefeated streak including his previously mentioned sensational win over Berto. The hard-punching southpaw came of age during their 12-round battle when he sent Berto to the canvas in round one, got off the canvas himself in the second round and survived a knockdown in the sixth round only to come back to drop Berto at the end of that round in a definite Fight of the Year candidate. Ortiz, a Ventura, Calif. resident who hails from Garden City, Kansas, also holds victories over former World Champions Carlos Maussa, Nate Campbell, Vivian Harris as well as high profile opponents Antonio Diaz, Mike Arnaoutis and Jeffrey Resto.
Both fighters have also agreed to drug testing under the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency protocol, which includes random blood and urine testing.
The MGM Grand Garden Arena is home to concerts, championship boxing and premier sporting and special events. The Arena offers comfortable seating for as many as 16,800 with excellent sightlines and state-of-the-art acoustics, lighting and sound. Prominent events to date have included world championship fights between Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson, Oscar de la Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather and George Foreman vs. Michael Moorer, as well as concerts by The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Bette Midler, George Strait, Janet Jackson, Phil Collins, Billy Joel, U2, ‘N Sync, Sting, Coldplay, Alicia Keys, Jimmy Buffett and the Barbra Streisand Millennium Concert. The MGM Grand Garden Arena also is home to the annual Academy of Country Music Awards and the Frozen Fury NHL pre-season game which features the Los Angeles Kings vs. Colorado Avalanche.
The Mayweather vs. Ortiz pay-per-view telecast, which begins at 9:00 p.m. ET / 6:00 p.m. PT, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and will be available to more than 92 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View®, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For Mayweather vs. Ortiz fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com.