Category: Wilder vs. Ortiz II

Deontay Wilder, Muhammad Ali now tied on list of defenses in single reign

Deontay Wilder pulled even with Muhammad Ali at No. 5 on the list of successful defenses in a single title reign.

Deontay Wilder is climbing the list of heavyweight titleholders with the most successful defenses.

His one-punch knockout of Luis Ortiz on Saturday was the 10th successful defense of his title, which equals Muhammad Ali for No. 5 on the all-time list in a single reign.

Joe Louis, with 25 (or 26 if you accept a ruling by the New York State Athletic Commission), tops the list.

Here is the Top 10 (number of successful defenses in a single reign):

1. Joe Louis – 25*
2. Larry Holmes – 19
3. Wladimir Klitschko – 18
4. Tommy Burns – 11
5T. Muhammad Ali – 10
Deontay Wilder – 10
7T. Joe Frazier – 9
Lennox Lewis – 9
Vitali Klitschko – 9
10. Jack Johnson – 8

Joe Louis’ records for number of successful title defenses seem safe. U.S. Army via AP

Wilder, who has had only one reign as titleholder, also moved up a notch on the list of total successful defenses. Here’s that Top 10:

1. Joe Louis – 25*
2. Wladimir Klitschko – 23
3. Muhammad Ali – 19
4. Larry Holmes – 19
5T. Lennox Lewis – 13
Vitali Klitschko – 13
7. Deontay Wilder – 10
8T. Mike Tyson – 9
Joe Frazier – 9
10. Evander Holyfield – 7

*- A 26th fight during Louis’ reign, against Johnny Davis in 1944, was supposed to be one in a series of exhibitions but the New York State Athletic Commission declared that Louis’ title was at stake.

Fury trainer Ben Davison: ’Luis Ortiz is fantastic but he’s not Tyson Fury’

Ben Davison, the trainer of Tyson Fury, admires Deontay Wilder KO victim Luis Ortiz but says his fighter is at another level.

LAS VEGAS – It didn’t take long for the focus to shift to Tyson Fury, at least for a while.

Ben Davison, Fury’s trainer, witnessed Deontay Wilder’s one-punch knockout of Luis Ortiz first hand Saturday night at the MGM Grand and was asked by Sky Sports afterward what he thought.

Fury survived a hellacious knockdown in the final round to go the distance with Wilder in a controversial draw last December. They are tentatively scheduled to meet again in February.

“I’ve said before: Luis Ortiz is a fantastic fighter but he’s not Tyson Fury,” Davison said. “I also learned that he was a different man fight week to what he was to when he fought Tyson. Tyson 100 per cent got under his skin. I definitely saw that in there, which is pretty understandable. Pressure of a big fight around the corner affected him.”

He went on: “How do you (beat Wilder)? I’m not going to say my ideas on how you would do it, but it’s certainly not what Luis Ortiz did here tonight.”

Wilder was then asked to respond to Davison’s comments. He wasn’t happy.

“Every time a person fights, we see different holes and different things,” Wilder said. “You’re not going to be perfect in a fight, no one is. I hope he took notes and carries it back to his camp because I’m going to knock Fury out like I did the first time. Point blank, period. I’m not worried about what anyone says. I’m proven.

“If they were so sure about certain things and what they’d seen, he would have took the rematch immediately. I’m not running round doing a 100,000 things (like Fury). I was the one who demanded the rematch after a controversial decision.

“I’m the one fighting the best in the division. There’s no other fighters taking risks in any fights.”

That’s just a taste of the pre-fight hype. Stand by.

Deontay Wilder: ‘I am the hardest puncher in boxing history – period’

Deontay Wilder said his one-punch knockout of Luis Ortiz on Saturday was further evidence that’s he’s the biggest puncher ever.

LAS VEGAS – Heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder made a bold statement after his breathtaking one-punch knockout of Luis Ortiz in their rematch Saturday at the MGM Grand: “I am the hardest … puncher in boxing history. Period.”

Of course, that can’t be quantified but he definitely is building a case for himself.

Start with his knockout ratio: 42 victims, 41 knockouts. That means Wilder (42-0-1) has scored a knockout in 98 percent his victories, an all-time record. Earnie Shavers, George Foreman and Joe Louis, who are often cited as the biggest punchers of all time, had KO percentages of 92, 89 and 79 percent, respectively.

One could argue that those legends stopped better opposition but it’s not as if Wilder is avoiding anyone. Ortiz is a good fighter and Wilder has now stopped him twice. Also, a rematch with Tyson Fury, who went the distance with Wilder, and possible showdowns with Andy Ruiz Jr. and Anthony Joshua await.

Luis Ortiz tried but failed to gather himself after Deontay Wilder landed his big shot. AP Photo / John Locher

And the way Wilder has tended to end fights – with one monstrous shot – stays with those who witness it, enhancing Wilder’s reputation as a knockout artist. The final blows seem to come out of nowhere, which makes them particularly chilling.

That was the case on Saturday. The possibility of a big shot is always there for Wilder but he gave no indication that it was coming against Ortiz, who was leading on all three cards (59-55, 59-55 and 58-56) after six rounds.

Everyone watching the Deontay Wilder-Luis Ortiz fight had to be thinking that same thing at that point: Wilder was digging himself into a deep hole. If he couldn’t stop Ortiz, he was in danger of losing a decision.

One person not concerned? Wilder.

“To be honest I never worry about if I’m losing a fight or not,” he said. “I’m blessed with something that these other guys aren’t blessed with, that’s tremendous power. I know that when I hit guys, it hurts them. When you have power like I have, you’re not worried about if you’re winning rounds or not. I don’t want that to be in my mind … because I don’t want my mind to be cloudy thinking about rounds.

“Most of the time these guys win rounds on me anyway. I know that sooner or later it’s going to come. And when it comes, good night.”

As we know, the scorecards were irrelevant in the end. Wilder positioned himself as arm’s length in the final seconds of Round 7, saw his opening and pulled the trigger. Fight over.

Deontay Wilder shows Luis Ortiz that all he needs is that right hand

Deontay Wilder wins a fight he was losing by landing his specialty — his right hand — on the face of Luis Ortiz.

LAS VEGAS – No matter what he might lack as a fighter. No matter what might go wrong in the ring. Deontay Wilder always has his right hand.

Wilder showed next to nothing in his rematch with Luis Ortiz on Saturday night at the MGM Grand. Ortiz, obviously quicker and more mobile after his intense conditioning program, had firm control of the fight for five-plus rounds.

The Cuban beat the American titleholder to the punch. He outworked him, although neither threw a lot of punches. All Wilder did was wait and wait … and wait, as he seemed to have no plan of action in a fight that was becoming mistifying.

Then, in an instant, order was restored. In the final seconds of Round 7, Wilder landed that magic straight right on Ortiz’s face and the challenger fell flat on his back, obviously hurt badly.

Ortiz stumbled to his feet around the count of 9 but referee Kenny Bayless, looking into his eyes, decided he couldn’t continue.

Just like that, Wilder turned what was shaping up to be an embarrassing loss into another dramatic victory. It was the 10th successful defense of the title Wilder won when he outpointed Bermane Stiverne in 2015.

Ortiz (31-2, 26 knockouts) didn’t fight brilliantly early in the fight but he was a lot more effective than Wilder, who was cautious to the point where he did almost nothing. Meanwhile, Ortiz popped Wilder to the body. The southpaw landed some hard lefts that must of frightened Wilder supporters. And a few combinations got the attention of Wilder and the crowd.

In Round 4, Ortiz unloaded a flurry of punches that found their mark. Wilder responded by pounding his chest, which raised the question: Why isn’t he pounding Ortiz?

By Round 6, the scorecards had become a big part of the story. Ortiz seemed to be doing enough to win round after round, meaning that it would be difficult for Wilder to win a decision in the event he wasn’t able to stop Ortiz.

And sure enough: The scores were 59-55, 59-55 and 58-56, all in Ortiz’s favor.

Wilder fought with a bit more urgency in Round 6, throwing more meaningful punches than he had earlier, but no one expected what was to come. He simply positioned himself at arm’s length from Ortiz and let his not-so-secret weapon fly. It slid past Ortiz’s glove, landed on his face and that was that.

“Bomb squad!” indeed.

“With Ortiz, you can see why no other heavyweight wants to fight him,” Wilder said afterward. “He’s very craft, he moves strategically and his intellect is very high. I had to measure him in certain places.

“I had to go in and out and finally I found my measurement. I saw the shot and I took it. My intellect is very high in the ring and no one gives me credit for that. I think I buzzed him with a left hook earlier in the round and I took it from there.”

Ortiz gave Wilder trouble – hurting him badly in Round 7 – but was stopped by Wilder in the 10th round in March of last year. He blamed the stoppage on fatigue. So he did the natural thing: He trained as seriously as he ever had. That included hiring a strength and conditioning coach who helped him weigh in about five pounds lighter than he weighed in the first fight.

And it seemed to help. Ortiz was quick and mobile, particularly for a 40-year-old who is naturally bulky. However, in the end, such things don’t matter when a right hand from Wilder finds its target.

Ortiz was philosophical afterward.

“This is boxing,” he said. “I said that one of us was going to get knocked out and it wasn’t going to go 12 rounds. I was clear headed when I hit the canvas. When I heard the referee say seven I was trying to get up, but I guess the count went a little quicker than I thought.”

Wilder appears to have another significant challenge ahead of him. He is tentatively scheduled to face arguably the best boxer in the division, Tyson Fury, in February.

Fury also felt the power in Wilder’s right hand, going down in Rounds 9 and 12. Fans are still shaking their heads at Fury’s ability to survive the knockdown punch in the final round and reach the final bell.

Aside from the knockdowns, however, Fury outboxed Wilder. That’s why most observers thought Wilder was fortunate to emerge with a draw.

The fact Wilder was willing to tangle a second time with Ortiz and seems eager to meet Fury again is evidence that he has confidence to go with his punching power. After Fury? He evidently wants the winner of the December 7 Andy Ruiz Jr.-Anthony Joshua rematch.

“Next we have Tyson Fury in the rematch,” he said. “It’s scheduled for February, so we’ll see. Then I want unification. I want one champion, one face and one heavyweight champion – Deontay Wilder.”

Leo Santa Cruz outpoints Miguel Flores to win title in fourth division

Leo Santa Cruz survived a cut to outpoint Miguel Flores and join an exclusive club of Mexicans to win titles in four divisions.

LAS VEGAS – Leo Santa Cruz has joined an exclusive fraternity.

Santa Cruz defeated Miguel Flores by a unanimous decision to win a vacant junior lightweight title on the Deontay Wilder-Luis Ortiz card Saturday at the MGM Grand.

That gives him major titles in four divisions, joining Erik Morales, Jorge Arce and Juan Manuel Marquez as the only Mexicans to do so.

Santa Cruz (37-1-1, 19 knockouts) didn’t have an easy time with his capable countryman, who was a 40-1 underdog at the MGM going into the fight. However, he pressed the action, outworked Flores (24-3, 12 KOs) and landed many more eye-catching punches than his opponent.

The pattern of the fight didn’t change much, as there were few ebbs and flows. And neither fighter was ever seriously hurt.

The scores were 117-110, 117-110 and 115-112. Flores was docked a point in the eighth round but it had no impact on the decision.

Santa Cruz suffered a cut above his left eye in the 10th round, the result of an accidental head butt. The cut bled into his eye, which clearly bothered him, but he was able to maintain his focus and work rate.

Santa Cruz had won titles at 118 pounds, 122 and 126. He said before he fought Flores that he might some day pursue a title in a fifth division – 135 – if things went well at 130.

Canelo Alvarez, another Mexican, claims to have won titles in four divisions but one of those titles is what the WBA calls its “regular” belt, which Boxing Junkie doesn’t recognize.

Brandon Figueroa and Julio Ceja fight to draw in war

LAS VEGAS – No one should’ve been disappointed with a draw in light of what Brandon Figueroa and Julio Ceja gave on Saturday at the MGM Grand. The junior featherweights didn’t stop throwing punches from beginning to end, producing an astonishing …

LAS VEGAS – No one should’ve been disappointed with a draw in light of what Brandon Figueroa and Julio Ceja gave on Saturday at the MGM Grand.

The junior featherweights didn’t stop throwing punches from beginning to end, producing an astonishing total of roughly 2,800 in a give-and-take war that revealed remarkable durability on the part of both fighters on the Deontay Wilder-Luis Ortiz card.

Some will argue that Ceja (33-4, 28 knockouts) got the better of the nonstop exchanges in more rounds that Figueroa (20-0-1, 15 KOs) did but two judges didn’t see it that way.

The scores were 115-113 for Figueroa, 116-112 for Ceja and 114-114. When that final score was announced, the crowd booed loudly. Boxing Junkie scored it 116-112.

One could argue that Figueroa, a top contender, shouldn’t have gone through with the fight. Ceja missed the 122-pound limit by 4½ pounds, which technically made him a junior lightweight.

Perhaps that’s one reason he was so resilient. Figueroa hit the Mexican with everything he had and then some but Ceja was never fazed and never stopped throwing punches. Of course, Figueroa was just as durable as his bigger foe, also taking significant shots but never giving ground.

Ceja came into the fight with consecutive knockout losses, to Franklin Manzanilla and Guillermo Rigondeaux.

Also, Eduardo Ramirez (23-2-3, 10 KOs) stopped Leduan Barthelemy (15-1-1, 7 KOs) at 2:59 of Round 4 in a scheduled 10-round featherweight bout.

The boxers had fought to a split-decision draw in September 2017.

On Saturday, Ramirez, from Mexico, quickly took control of the fight. By the final round, he was punching the one-time star amateur from Cuba at will. And he ended matters with a straight left that sent Barthelmy staggering backward and then down on his back.

He got up but the referee determined that he couldn’t continue.

Barthelemy-Ramirez to replace canceled Nery-Rodriguez on Fox Pay-Per-View

Leduan Barthelemy vs. Eduardo Ramirez will replace the canceled Luis Nery vs. Emmanuel Rodriguez fight on pay-per-view tonight.

LAS VEGAS – Luis Nery’s inability to make weight was a break for Leduan Barthelemy and Eduardo Ramirez on the Deontay Wilder-Luis Ortiz II card Saturday at MGM Grand.

Nery on Friday failed to make the 118-pound limit by one pound for his bantamweight fight against Emmanuel Rodriguez and evidently didn’t believe he could lose it in subsequent attempts to make weight. Rodriguez, who made weight, then decided not to face an over-the-weight opponent because of “safety reasons”and the fight was canceled, according to a news release.

As a result, the featherweight fight between Barthelemy and Ramirez, originally scheduled to be televised on FS2, will kick off the Pay-Per-View portion of the card.

Barthelemy (15-0-1, 7 KOs) and Ramirez (22-2-3, 9 KOs), a former title challenger, fought to a 10-round draw in September 2017.

Also, Julio Ceja was 4½ pounds over the 122-limit for his fight against Brandon Figueroa but the fight will go on. Figueroa weighed 122.

Deontay Wilder-Luis Ortiz weigh-in: Wilder 219½, Ortiz 236½

Deontay Wilder and Luis Ortiz on Friday weighed 219½ and 236½, respectively, for Saturday’s fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – Deontay Wilder was expected to be a little heavier in the rematch than he was in his first fight with Luis Ortiz, Ortiz a little lighter. And that’s how it played out.

Wilder on Friday weighed 219½ pounds, almost five pounds more than he weighed when they fought in Mach of last year. Ortiz, who reportedly trained like a mad man, weighed 236½. That’s almost five less than he weighed in the first fight.

They meet again Saturday at the MGM Grand on Fox Pay-Per-View.

Wilder, who stopped Ortiz in 10 rounds the first time around, doesn’t think the weight will make much of a difference.

“He knows what happened the first time. He knows what will happen the second time,” Wilder said on the stage moments after weighing in.

Wilder weighed 223 for his last fight, a first-round knockout of Dominic Breazeale in May. Ortiz weighed 238¾ against Christian Hammer in March, when Ortiz won by a wide decision.

 

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In other fights, Leo Santa Cruz and Miguel Flores weighed 129½ and the limit of 130, respectively, for their junior lightweight title fight. Santa Cruz is attempting to win a title in a fourth division.

In a scheduled junior featherweight bout, Julio Ceja weighed 126½, way over the 122-pound limit. His opponent, Brandon Figueroa, weighed 122. It wasn’t clear how officials intended to proceed.

And, in a bantamweight title eliminator, Luis Nery weighed 119, a pound over the limit. He had a few hours to lose the extra weight. His opponent, Emmanuel Rodriguez, weighed 118.

 

 

 

 

How to watch Deontay Wilder vs. Luis Ortiz II on pay-per-view

Deontay Wilder will put his heavyweight title on the line in a rematch with Luis Ortiz on Saturday night in Las Vegas. Here’s how to watch.

Undefeated heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder will put his title on the line in a highly anticipated rematch with Luis Ortiz Saturday night at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Wilder defeated Ortiz by a 10th-round TKO in their first fight 19 months ago, but Ortiz has won his last three fights and has the power to end the bout in a single punch.

Watch Wilder v. Ortiz II LIVE on Pay-Per-View

The Wilder vs. Ortiz II pay-per-view will begin at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT on Saturday, Nov. 23. You can order the PPV online here for $74.99.

Wilder vs. Ortiz II can be streamed via the Fox Sports app on the App Store or Google Play, on your TV via Roku, Xbox One, Fire TV, Android TV and Apple TV, or on your computer or smart devices via FoxSports.com.

There are three other fights on the undercard:

Leo Santa Cruz (36-1-1) vs. Miguel Flores (24-2) for a junior lightweight title; Luis Nery (30-0) vs. Emmanuel Rodriguez (19-1) in a bantamweight fight; and Brandon Figueroa (20-0) vs. Julio Ceja (32-4) in a junior bantamweight bout.

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Deontay Wilder vs. Luis Ortiz odds: Wilder is about a 4-1 favorite

Deontay Wilder (-500) is a heavy favorite to defeat Luis Ortiz (+333) in their rematch Saturday at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Deontay Wilder and Luis Ortiz square off in a rematch for Wilder’s WBC heavyweight title Saturday at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, with the card kicking off at 9 p.m. ET. / 6 p.m. PT.

Wilder-Ortiz: What you need to know

Deontay Wilder (41-0-1, 40 knockouts) puts his nearly unblemished record on the line in a title rematch bout on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View. Wilder has seen 98 percent of his victories come via the knockout, including a 10th-round KO of Ortiz in March of last year at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. It nearly went another way, as Ortiz was working him over with heavy, sustained damage in the seventh. However, Wilder showed his champion mettle by pulling himself out of the fire and rebounding with a knockout of his own in an epic bout.

For Ortiz (31-1, 26 KOs), that remains the only setback in his 32-bout career. Since that right uppercut dropped him from the ranks of the unbeaten, he has taken out his aggression on Razvan Cojanu and Travis Kauffman in knockouts before picking up a decision victory against Christian Hammer.

Now, he gets another chance to get all the way on top. He cited problems with his cardio as the reason he petered out in the last bout against Wilder, as he expended a lot of energy in the seventh round trying to drop Wilder.

Wilder-Ortiz odds, picks, tips and best bets

Deontay Wilder celebrates moments after defeating Dominic Breazeale by knockout in the first round. Sarah Stier / USA TODAY Sports

 

Per BetMGM, Wilder (-500) is the heavy favorite over Ortiz (+333) on the 3-way betting line, with a Draw (+2500) also a choice. It isn’t a good choice, though.

If you were to look for lighting to strike twice, with a Wilder knockout in Round 10 (+1400), that pays rather handsomely. However, individual round betting is not a great investment. Instead, look to Round Group Betting, where Wilder to win in Rounds 9-12 (+500) pays fairly well.

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If you like Wilder for the KO/TKO/Technical Decision or DQ victory, BetMGM has him listed as a rather heavy favorite at -334, with a win on points at +650 rather tempting. However, most talking heads expect a knockout, and Wilder’s track record suggests the same. BetMGM has a special prop bet for those looking for the victory via KO or TKO, too.

If you feel the fight will go 12 rounds, with either fighter winning on points (+450), you can do fairly well, but it isn’t a recommended wager.

Are you new to sports betting? A $10 wager on Wilder straight up at -500 to win outright pays just a $2.00 profit. 

I personally prefer Group Betting, with the fight won in Rounds 7-12 (+150), while doubling down on Wilder in Rounds 7-12 (+188). If both of those things come through on a $100 wager, it pays a respectable $269. Sign me up.

If you want some action on this title bout or other boxing matches, place your wagers at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and analysis, visit SportsbookWire.com.

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