California Commission Released Heayweight Flores’ Purse

The California Athletic Commission has reviewed the dubious first round KO by Victor Ortiz earlier this month in the “PBC on Fox” main event and despite considerable evidence that his opponent may have taken a dive, they decided to pay him anyway.

Boxing insider Dan Rafael wrote for Boxingscene.com that the CSAC did it’s investigation, interviewed all parties and will release Alexander Flores’ $80,000 purse,

The California commission voted to give heavyweight Alexander Flores his $80k purse after 1st holding it up following his 1st-round KO loss to Luis Ortiz. My @boxingscene story: https://t.co/xHFVUQFMKb #boxing @TGBpromotions @PBConFOX @premierboxing

— Dan Rafael (@DanRafael1) November 24, 2020

First, as we wrote two weeks ago, the fight ended essentially from the second landed punch of the bout by Ortiz. It was a body shot to Flores’ left side. However, when he rose wearily, Flores was squinting his left eye and telling the referee that he could not see/continue.

Obviously, the circumstances were dubious at best.

Rafael wrote about the hearing and the findings,

“Monday, the commission held a hearing via Zoom video conference on the matter, which Flores was required to attend, and ultimately voted 4-0 to release Flores’ purse in full.

“After having additional time to review the bout and further consultation with Dr. (Paul) Wallace, the Ringside Physician, I defer to Dr. Wallace’s judgment that Mr. Flores sustained adequate trauma and should not have continued in the bout,” Commission Director Andy Foster said. “I recommend Mr. Flores receive his full purse for the bout.”

Foster recounted his reason for initially withholding the purse in his written statement, which was part of investigation and obtained by BoxingScene.

“Chief Athletic Inspector Mark Relyea and the Ringside Physician Dr. Wallace notified me they were questioning the outcome of the bout between Alexander Flores and Luis Ortiz,” Foster wrote. “The concern was whether Alexander Flores intentionally was not competing to the best of his ability. After consultation with the Chief Athletic Inspector, the referee (Thomas Taylor) and the Ringside Physician, and with the information available to me the evening of the bout,

I made the decision to withhold Mr. Flores’ purse pending a hearing with the Commission so we can further review the matter. Once the decision was made, I notified the Chair and the Commission’s Legal Counsel of what had occurred.” 

….

Rafael’s story continued, “as part of the investigation, the commission obtained written statements from Chief Athletic Inspector Mark Relyea, referee Thomas Taylor, the ringside physician and athletic commission inspectors Angel Berroteran, who was assigned to Ortiz, and Raul Oseguera, who was assigned to Flores, in which each explained what they witnessed.

…

“It is clear that this knockout was unique,” Relyea wrote. “Based on the questions that arose from the circumstances and the amount of money involved in the purse of both contestants, our Commission had a clear obligation to inquire into this matter. However, based on the review of the facts, in my opinion there is not sufficient evidence to indicate that Flores failed to compete in earnest. I recommend that Flores be paid the full contracted amount of his purse, and that this inquiry is not referenced in his record of performance.”

Wallace, a longtime California ringside doctor, said he did not believe Flores was able to go with the fight after the knockdown.

“After further video review and consultation with our (neurologic committee), I believe the boxer sustained adequate trauma to match his complaints and I do not believe the boxer should have continued,” Wallace wrote in his statement. ”

The bottom line is: it is in CSAC’s best interest to put the matter behind them, especially when the fighter (Flores) and the bout had little other notoriety.

It should also be pointed out that Flores, 18-3-1, has now been beaten three times by early knockout recently in his career. And, that fact, along with this controversy will hinder him from ever getting a big opportunity again.