Ortiz Aims to Add to His Scrapbook as a Pro

They call him “Scrappy,” and he is.

Besides, they had to come up with something. What else to expect of the professional debut of Robert Ortiz Jr., the latest from a family of prizefighters with close ties and catchy ring monikers.

His father was “Two Sweet.” His uncles were “Big Shorty” and “Li’l Haus.” All fought regularly and were crowd favorites at the Reseda Country Club, though none enjoyed great success.

Now Robert Jr., his family literally in his corner, will take his turn in the pro ranks.

The 19-year-old featherweight from Simi Valley will fight Geraldo Valencia (1-0) in a four-round bout Thursday at Quiet Cannon Country Club in Montebello.

Ortiz, 20-2 as an amateur, has distinguished himself with his promising technique and style. And, of course, his scrappiness.

“Everybody says I fight like a little scrappy dog,” Ortiz said. “It’s my heart. It’s what I want to do.”

Danny Ortiz, 37, a.k.a. Big Shorty, was 22-4 as a lightweight during the 1980s and early ‘90s. Robert Sr., 40, who opened Kid Gloves Boxing in Simi Valley four years ago, was 7-4-1 as a bantamweight, sometimes appearing on the same card as his brother.

Victor Ortiz, 32, dubbed Li’l Haus at an early age, retired after a brief career as a light-heavyweight.

Danny works as his nephew’s primary trainer, Robert Sr. is his son’s manager and both serve as sparring partners--proving that the family that slugs it out together, stays together.

“It’s scary sometimes [in boxing] because you never know what’s going to happen,” Robert Sr. said while watching his son sparring. “But I’ve always had confidence in him and I have confidence in Big Shorty. It will be different in his first pro fight, without the headgear. But I think he will come out very strong.”

All agree Scrappy might ultimately be the best boxer of the bunch. He seems to have inherited his father’s ability to punch and his uncle’s technique.

“He reminds me a lot of me,” Danny said. “I think Scrappy’s the quickest of all of us, and I was the quickest. He can box and punch. And he’s definitely got the speed.

“But when Scrappy gets into a brawl, he can do well in the brawl thing too. He carries the nickname well.”

Ortiz remembers little about watching his father or his uncle in the ring. Although he bears a strong physical resemblance to his father, who went from boxing to bodybuilding, Ortiz didn’t immediately yearn to put on the gloves.

He dreamed of a football career while growing up. But at 5 feet 4, the smallest of the clan, Ortiz decided to switch to a sport where size wouldn’t be a limitation.

“I saw people box and I said, ‘I can do it,’ ” Ortiz said. “I use my head movement a lot, like Smokin’ Joe Frazier. A lot of fighters don’t.”

Ortiz, who attended Royal High, is also motivated by financial security. He is the father of a 3-year-old son and determined to be a good parent and provider.

“I want to be on top, to win that title,” Ortiz said. “I want to be able to feed my family. I want to give my little boy anything he wants in the world.”

Team Ortiz hopes to have at least five fights under young Robert’s belt by the end of the year. The early bouts will be telling, Danny said.

“I remember going into a fight out of shape and by the fourth round, the guy was just pounding me on the ropes,” Danny said. “I learned from it and I’m trying to drill it into Scrappy’s head.

“It’s the worst place you can be when you’re in there and you can’t do anything while the guy is pounding on you. I preach this to him all the time: ‘It’s only you and that other guy in the ring. I can’t help you and your dad can’t help you.’ ”

Outside the ring, things are quite the opposite.

“He has myself and Danny to watch out for him,” Robert Sr. said. “We never had that when we were growing up. He’s fortunate to have his uncle and myself to be able to give him the tools he needs to be able to progress.”

A reminder that Father’s Day is approaching causes the senior Ortiz to smile broadly while watching his only child in the ring.

Like father, like son?

“I think he looks more like Big Shorty in the ring than myself,” he said. “He can brawl. He can scrap. But also, he can box.”