Victor Ortiz discusses Week 1 on ‘Dancing With the Stars’

The Times is pleased to have boxer Victor Ortiz, a former WBC welterweight champion, guest-blogging for us while he competes on “Dancing With the Stars.” Each week while he competes on the show, Ortiz will answer a few questions from Sports Now editor Houston Mitchell and give some insight into the competition. Here are Ortiz’s thoughts about Week 1, which he offered via email.

Q: How would you compare the nerves you have before a fight with the nerves you had before your first dance on the show?

Well the nerves before a fight are different; it’s more like adrenaline that gets you geared up to get into the ring and win. I don’t have to get “nervous” really; instead I just stay focused on making sure I give the fight my all. It’s more like tunnel vision, with your eye on the prize.

With dancing I just have to make sure to remember all the moves that Lindsey and I rehearsed, so it’s a different feeling when I go on stage. Plus the crowd is a little less rowdy! In a fight it’s about instinct and strength but with dancing it’s about remembering all the steps, plus remembering to keep smiling.

Q: You have to have great footwork to be a good fighter. Do you think your boxing training gives you an advantage in the competition?

I thought that it might help, but really they are totally different things. I guess the physical endurance part helps, I mean I am in shape and can move around on my feet quite easily but the footwork with dancing is much more complicated. Boxing you don’t have to remember any particular steps, just go with the flow of what is happening in that fight. With dancing you also have to work with the person in the spotlight, not against them so it’s not just about how I do but how we do as a team.

Q: Are there any particular dances coming up this season that you are looking forward to? I would think that the Paso Doble would be natural for you.

I am really excited to learn all the dances actually, so I want to make sure I make it to the end and win this thing! Lindsey is such a great partner and I think we work well together which is key. The Paso Doble...yeah that dance takes a lot of brawn and passion, so I can channel my inner fighter if I get a chance to do that one. I can’t talk about the dances I will be doing in the coming weeks, but I guess everyone will just have to tune in to see my new moves. Let’s hope I can wow the judges and all my fans with how good we do on the dance floor.

To learn more about Victor Ortiz, visit his website at TheRealVictorOrtiz.com.

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