Ortega Time II: Mike Ortega Returns in Sacramento Tonight

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Ortega Time II: Mike Ortega Returns in Sacramento Tonight

 

 

Boxing can be a fickle sport. Nary an athlete's career path has as many twists and turns, ups and downs as that of an aspiring boxer. It is a sport where talent does not always translate into success, especially of the immediate variety. In fact, some of the most talented often have the most trouble getting off the blocks for no fault of their own. One fighter full of promise begins his journey anew tonight in a four-rounder at the DoubleTree Hotel in his hometown of Sacramento, California. Power-punching light middleweight Mike Ortega is home again, in more ways than one.

 

 

Ortega (2-0, 1 KO) turned pro way back in August of 2008 after a successful amateur career. The difficulties he found in landing fight number two helped lead him to completely switch his focus to mixed martial arts for a time, before his boxing return a little over a year ago. While Ortega still plans to pursue MMA in addition to boxing, he is happy to be back between the ropes. "I had to do what I had to, but I did miss boxing and the competitive aspect," says Ortega, who is also a successful personal trainer. "It definitely feels right to be back."

 

 

Ortega's return was supposed to come against a former local amateur rival Velvet Malone (0-4), who had relocated from Sacramento to Las Vegas, Nevada some years ago, but fought out of the Capital City as amateur. Ortega had fought Malone as a teenager and his trainer today, Seifudeen Mateen, had trained Malone for a time. However, a training injury early fight week left promoter O.P.P Presents and their matchmaker Edward Rodriquez scrambling to find a willing replacement.

 

 

At the eleventh hour, in stepped better-than-his-record spoiler Cleven Ishe (3-8, 1 KO) of Long Beach, California. Considering Ishe, an orthodox fighter, could not be any more different than Malone, a southpaw, it is a change that could potentially ruffle Ortega's feathers. However, the young prospect sounds up to the challenge. "I feel like it worked out," explains Ortega, who scaled 156-pounds today. "I didn't think too much about it. I am prepared to fight. I am ready to fight, no matter who steps in front of me, I feel like I am going to dominate. It feels like everything is in line for me right now - my physical and my mental. It's just time to fight, whoever."

 

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