Ortiz fight off after ex-welterweight champ charged with rape

LOS ANGELES - Former welterweight world champion Victor Ortiz, arrested on suspicion of rape on Tuesday in Oxnard, California, won't fight as scheduled on Sunday according to an Instagram post from intended opponent John Molina Jr.

Ortiz turned himself in on Tuesday after authorities filed a felony complaint against him alleging rape during a March 19 incident in which a woman told Oxnard police she was sexually assaulted inside a house.

Ventura County prosecutors said Ortiz was due to appear in Ventura County Superior Court on October 1 to be arraigned on multiple charges related to the incident.

His release on bail had seemed to leave open the possibility he would still fight on Sunday's Premier Boxing Champions card in Ontario, California, but Molina posted the bout was off.

"Sorry to all my friends, family and fans," Molina posted on Instagram. "I was more than ready for this fight ... I'll be in the ring soon and I'll be in the house Sunday."

Premier Boxing Champions said that a 10-round featherweight bout between Brandon Figueroa and Oscar Escandon would be the main event of the card which also features 2016 Nigerian Olympian Efe Ajagba.

Ortiz, 31, was the World Boxing Council welterweight world champion thanks to a bruising victory over Andre Berto when he took on challenger Floyd Mayweather in September of 2011.

Mayweather emerged with a controversial fourth-round knockout, stunning an apparently unprepared Ortiz with a barrage of blows after referee Joe Cortez had briefly stopped the bout to dock Ortiz a point for an intentional head butt.

Ortiz, who has also appeared on the television reality show "Dancing with the Stars" and in the movie "The Expendables 3," has three wins, three defeats and one draw in the ring since then.

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source: news.abs-cbn.com

Odds makers favor Donaire over Darchinyan

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – Nonito Donaire Jr. had a fruitful camp in Las Vegas and Oxnard, where he trained with fellow boxer Brandon Rios.

Both Rios and Donaire train under the watchful eyes of coach Robert Garcia

“Ibibigay ko ang lahat ng makakaya ko, nag-training ako ng husto.. I'll be ready for the fight,” said Donaire, who is up for a rematch against Vic Darchinyan.

Donaire will slug it out in a triple headline at the American Bank Center in Corpus Christi, Texas this Saturday (Sunday, Manila time).

“The Filipino Flash” said that he will dedicate the fight to his fellow Filipinos.

Online betting sites favor Donaire over his Armenian opponent.

A $1,000-bet on Donaire could yield $100, while a $100 bet on the underdog Darchiyan could yield $660.

This, more or less, reflects the predictions of some boxing analysts.

Veteran sports writer Kevin Iole said he expects Donaire to knock out the Armenian boxer, noting that the Filipino is in his prime of his boxing career.

“I like Nonito Donaire as a fighter… Nonito should score a win by knock out on that fight,” said Iole.

“I think Darchinyan is coming up in weight, he feels better at this weight. However, I think he is still not gonna be able to stop Nonito's speed, he is not gonna be able to counter that Nonito's got power,” said Jaime Motta of Univision Sports.

Mexican boxer Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. also picked Donaire for a win but not with a knockout.

“Knockout sometimes come, sometimes not, but I think he'll win the fight,” he said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com