SOLIS chats with emerging boxing star Victor Ortiz
SOLIS chats with emerging boxing star Victor Ortiz
4/7/09 Las Vegas, NV. Solis Buyer, Sam Glaser, caught up with Jr. Welterweight Contender and ESPN Prospect of the Year (2008), Victor Ortiz, to talk about his career and new relationship with Remetee Clothing. Victor is a ferocious fighter with swagger, style, and an impressive humble side.
SAM GLASER: Victor, you joined The Garden City Boxing Club at a very young age… You won the Ringside National Title in 2001 and the National Jr. Olympics in 2002. – What was the highlight of your amateur career?
VICTOR ORTIZ: The highlight was winning 7 national titles and the Olympic trials – I was one of the youngest in history to win the trials.
SG: In 2005, you were controversially disqualified in a bout against virtual unknown Carlos Alarcon, your only loss to date. – Tell me about the controversy – what’s your side?
VO: He came at me, the ref claims he called a break, but I didn’t hear it and I was still getting hit. I took one small step back and knocked him out with an uppercut. But the ref DQ’d me for hitting during a break. I had already knocked him out twice. The ref apologized to me after the fact, so I don’t know what to think. But I’m 24-1-1. It’s kept me hungry.
SG: You signed with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions – tell us about this important decision.
VO: It was a very important decision to me… before I signed with Oscar I was in a state of mind like I might never fight again. I thought about enlisting in the army or marines. I was struggling to pay the bills. Co-manager convinced me to give him 6 months to find a deal. I said, ok but then I’m going to the army. I didn’t even know De La Hoya was looking at me. I thought I was a nobody - he gave me hope. He told me I’d get what I deserved. He treated me with respect from the very first time we met. He treated me like a human being, when I was used to being treated like a dog. His team listens to my opinions.
SG: After every fight you shout: "GARDEN CITY" referring to your hometown in Kansas. Why has Garden City remained so important?
VO: I grew up around a lot of different kinds of friends… Hispanic, white, tough and preppy… I had respect for everyone. But a lot of them never looked at me twice. I was a nobody - no clothes, no food. Some people wouldn’t spot me a couple bucks for lunch. So I learned who the real people were. Brandon Carmichael was one of the ones who always helped me out and always stood with me when I was nobody. Garden City is cornfields, beans, and cows. But the people there are cool. I shout Garden City because I remember where I came from.
SG: You’re a right-hander who chooses to fight from southpaw. Why?
VO: They always used to set me up to fight righty. But when I went to spar I found the southpaw stance easier…no one could hit me as well. When I fought righty, I got hit. But coaches didn’t like it. Some people thought it was against the rules. Pretty soon I just started saying I was a left hander and it all worked out. A great coach, Bucky Ignacio Avila, was the original guy who let me embrace southpaw.
SG: Who are you fighting next?
VO: Andreas Kotelnik - WBA world champion, from Germany. June 27 at Staples center or Nokia center.
SG: What’s your biggest goal as a Pro?
VO: I want to rule the world of Boxing, across different categories, and not just as a fighter. I was the type of person kid people said wouldn’t amount to anything… no one thought I would graduate high school (*editor’s note: he did graduate – with a 3.7 gpa, earning student of the year honors). I want to build my own empire like Bernard Hopkins, Oscar De La Hoya, Sugar Shane Mosley.
SG: What’s your involvement with Remetee Clothing?
VO: When I took one look at the brand, I wanted them as a sponsor… and it happened. Remetee is up and coming line that will be very successful
SG: How do you feel about the line?
VO: It’s awesome. The artwork is “wow”. The T’s are really cool. Great portraits. Incredible imagination. It’s really a special brand. I understand SOLIS is Remetee’s top specialty store.
SG: Yeah – we definitely believe in the Remetee brand. Victor, it’s been cool. We look forward to following your career. Thanks for rockin’ with Solis.
VO: Thank you Sam.
Sam Glaser
4/7/09 Las Vegas, NV. Solis Buyer, Sam Glaser, caught up with Jr. Welterweight Contender and ESPN Prospect of the Year (2008), Victor Ortiz, to talk about his career and new relationship with Remetee Clothing. Victor is a ferocious fighter with swagger, style, and an impressive humble side.
SAM GLASER: Victor, you joined The Garden City Boxing Club at a very young age… You won the Ringside National Title in 2001 and the National Jr. Olympics in 2002. – What was the highlight of your amateur career?
VICTOR ORTIZ: The highlight was winning 7 national titles and the Olympic trials – I was one of the youngest in history to win the trials.
SG: In 2005, you were controversially disqualified in a bout against virtual unknown Carlos Alarcon, your only loss to date. – Tell me about the controversy – what’s your side?
VO: He came at me, the ref claims he called a break, but I didn’t hear it and I was still getting hit. I took one small step back and knocked him out with an uppercut. But the ref DQ’d me for hitting during a break. I had already knocked him out twice. The ref apologized to me after the fact, so I don’t know what to think. But I’m 24-1-1. It’s kept me hungry.
SG: You signed with Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions – tell us about this important decision.
VO: It was a very important decision to me… before I signed with Oscar I was in a state of mind like I might never fight again. I thought about enlisting in the army or marines. I was struggling to pay the bills. Co-manager convinced me to give him 6 months to find a deal. I said, ok but then I’m going to the army. I didn’t even know De La Hoya was looking at me. I thought I was a nobody - he gave me hope. He told me I’d get what I deserved. He treated me with respect from the very first time we met. He treated me like a human being, when I was used to being treated like a dog. His team listens to my opinions.
SG: After every fight you shout: "GARDEN CITY" referring to your hometown in Kansas. Why has Garden City remained so important?
VO: I grew up around a lot of different kinds of friends… Hispanic, white, tough and preppy… I had respect for everyone. But a lot of them never looked at me twice. I was a nobody - no clothes, no food. Some people wouldn’t spot me a couple bucks for lunch. So I learned who the real people were. Brandon Carmichael was one of the ones who always helped me out and always stood with me when I was nobody. Garden City is cornfields, beans, and cows. But the people there are cool. I shout Garden City because I remember where I came from.
SG: You’re a right-hander who chooses to fight from southpaw. Why?
VO: They always used to set me up to fight righty. But when I went to spar I found the southpaw stance easier…no one could hit me as well. When I fought righty, I got hit. But coaches didn’t like it. Some people thought it was against the rules. Pretty soon I just started saying I was a left hander and it all worked out. A great coach, Bucky Ignacio Avila, was the original guy who let me embrace southpaw.
SG: Who are you fighting next?
VO: Andreas Kotelnik - WBA world champion, from Germany. June 27 at Staples center or Nokia center.
SG: What’s your biggest goal as a Pro?
VO: I want to rule the world of Boxing, across different categories, and not just as a fighter. I was the type of person kid people said wouldn’t amount to anything… no one thought I would graduate high school (*editor’s note: he did graduate – with a 3.7 gpa, earning student of the year honors). I want to build my own empire like Bernard Hopkins, Oscar De La Hoya, Sugar Shane Mosley.
SG: What’s your involvement with Remetee Clothing?
VO: When I took one look at the brand, I wanted them as a sponsor… and it happened. Remetee is up and coming line that will be very successful
SG: How do you feel about the line?
VO: It’s awesome. The artwork is “wow”. The T’s are really cool. Great portraits. Incredible imagination. It’s really a special brand. I understand SOLIS is Remetee’s top specialty store.
SG: Yeah – we definitely believe in the Remetee brand. Victor, it’s been cool. We look forward to following your career. Thanks for rockin’ with Solis.
VO: Thank you Sam.
Sam Glaser
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