A Luis Ortiz injury has forced a change in the heavyweight contender picture.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published at SportingNews.com.
On New Year’s Day, Luis Ortiz pulled off the ultimate comeback when he knocked out Charles Martin in the sixth round. It was a must-win for Ortiz, who reinserted himself back in the heavyweight title picture.
Following his win, Ortiz (33-2, 28 KOs) was given a deadline by the IBF to fight Filip Hrgovic in a title eliminator. The winner of the fight would have most likely faced champion Oleksandr Usyk. However, it appears Ortiz has rejected that path to glory, as it was revealed he injured his left hand during the Martin fight.
“Basically, Luis had a minimal fracture that he should be able to heal without issues, but with something like that he does not want to take any risk,” Jay Jimenez, Ortiz’s manager, told George Ebro (via Boxing Scene).
“He is being evaluated, but he cannot fight as early as April, because he would not be in [the best physical condition]. We are not against fighting against Hrgovic, or against anyone, but let it happen with the best conditions for Luis.’’
[lawrence-related id=27307,27263]
Ortiz made his pro debut in 2010. He is a former interim WBA heavyweight champion and almost took out Deontay Wilder in 2018 and 2019 for the WBC heavyweight title. Wilder stormed back and knocked him out both times, however.
During the Martin fight, Ortiz was down on the scorecards and looked as if he was beaten. He ended up landing wild punches in the sixth that stopped Martin. Ortiz has now won two in a row.
Hrgovic was a bronze medalist in the 2016 Olympics. His last fight was in December, when he beat Emir Ahmatovic via TKO. Promotor Kalle Sauerland quickly moved on from Ortiz-Hrgovic, stating a Hrgovic fight against Joseph Parker makes the most sense.
Parker, a former WBO heavyweight champion, has won six fights in a row. His last bout was a unanimous decision win over Derek Chisora last month.
As far as whom Ortiz would face next, Andy Ruiz Jr. is on his mind. Ruiz, a former IBF, WBA and WBO beltholder, last fought in May, beating Chris Arreola. Now working with Eddy Reynoso, Ruiz has been linked to Ortiz for a while.
“I would like Andy Ruiz to accept my challenge, but if not, I will be ready for whoever comes, because nobody wants to fight with a man they call ‘old,'” Ortiz said, via Boxing Scene.
A Luis Ortiz injury has forced a change in the heavyweight contender picture.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published at SportingNews.com.
On New Year’s Day, Luis Ortiz pulled off the ultimate comeback when he knocked out Charles Martin in the sixth round. It was a must-win for Ortiz, who reinserted himself back in the heavyweight title picture.
Following his win, Ortiz (33-2, 28 KOs) was given a deadline by the IBF to fight Filip Hrgovic in a title eliminator. The winner of the fight would have most likely faced champion Oleksandr Usyk. However, it appears Ortiz has rejected that path to glory, as it was revealed he injured his left hand during the Martin fight.
“Basically, Luis had a minimal fracture that he should be able to heal without issues, but with something like that he does not want to take any risk,” Jay Jimenez, Ortiz’s manager, told George Ebro (via Boxing Scene).
“He is being evaluated, but he cannot fight as early as April, because he would not be in [the best physical condition]. We are not against fighting against Hrgovic, or against anyone, but let it happen with the best conditions for Luis.’’
[lawrence-related id=27307,27263]
Ortiz made his pro debut in 2010. He is a former interim WBA heavyweight champion and almost took out Deontay Wilder in 2018 and 2019 for the WBC heavyweight title. Wilder stormed back and knocked him out both times, however.
During the Martin fight, Ortiz was down on the scorecards and looked as if he was beaten. He ended up landing wild punches in the sixth that stopped Martin. Ortiz has now won two in a row.
Hrgovic was a bronze medalist in the 2016 Olympics. His last fight was in December, when he beat Emir Ahmatovic via TKO. Promotor Kalle Sauerland quickly moved on from Ortiz-Hrgovic, stating a Hrgovic fight against Joseph Parker makes the most sense.
Parker, a former WBO heavyweight champion, has won six fights in a row. His last bout was a unanimous decision win over Derek Chisora last month.
As far as whom Ortiz would face next, Andy Ruiz Jr. is on his mind. Ruiz, a former IBF, WBA and WBO beltholder, last fought in May, beating Chris Arreola. Now working with Eddy Reynoso, Ruiz has been linked to Ortiz for a while.
“I would like Andy Ruiz to accept my challenge, but if not, I will be ready for whoever comes, because nobody wants to fight with a man they call ‘old,'” Ortiz said, via Boxing Scene.
Good, bad, worse: Luis Ortiz made a power play at 42 in his KO victory over Charles Martin.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Luis Ortiz has 42-year-old legs and 22-year-old power. We’ll see what he can accomplish under those circumstances.
The Cuban southpaw got up from two knockdowns to stop Charles Martin in the sixth round and remain a relevant heavyweight on New Year’s Day at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
Ortiz wasn’t seriously hurt the two times he went down but I wonder whether aging legs played a role in his inability to absorb punches. They just didn’t seem sturdy at times.
The better boxer of the two never strayed from the game plan, though. He continued to fight behind his jab and wait for opportunities to take advantage of his ability to change a fight with one punch.
His chance came in Round 6, when he discombobulated Martin with an overhand left and was able to finish the job moments later.
The victory in what was billed as a title eliminator allowed Ortiz to remain in the thick of the heavyweight mix, although it’s unclear how he might fit in at the moment. Titleholders Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have other plans.
That means Ortiz probably will have to win what would amount to another eliminator, against a heavyweight contender at the level of Andy Ruiz Jr., Joseph Parker, Frank Sanchez and Robert Helenius.
Ortiz still has the ability to be competitive with all of the above and contend for a world title, as he demonstrated on Saturday. That is if his legs cooperate.
BAD
I’ll never forget Emanuel Steward yelling at Wladimir Klitschko to finish off an overmatched, but stubborn Eddie Chambers late in their 2010 fight in Germany.
The late, great trainer knew the value of a knockout in terms of public perception. Fans might admire a fighter who outpoints his opponents. They’ll fall in love with a fighter who ends his fights inside the distance.
Steward would’ve been yelling the same thing at Frank Sanchez on the all-heavyweight Ortiz-Martin card.
Sanchez, a polished boxer, had no trouble with late replacement Christian Hammer. Ortiz’s countryman did more than enough to win the fight, as a shutout decision indicated. He just didn’t do enough to close the show.
He never took the risks, never shifted into another gear, which would’ve been required to stop Hammer (26-9, 16 KOs) give fans something to remember.
I have mixed feelings about Sanchez’s tactics. I acknowledge that Sanchez (20-0, 13 KOs) is who he is, an excellent technician whose instinct is to box, not brawl. That style has always worked for him. Why change?
Well, I also agree with Steward. If Sanchez is ever going to be a star, he’s going to have to do more than outpoint his opponents in dull fights.
WORSE
The Viktor Faust-Iago Kiladze fight might’ve been the most memorable bout on the Ortiz-Martin card – for both good and bad reasons.
Faust (9-0, 7 KOs) and Kiladze (27-6-1, 19 KOs) gave viewers as wild a 4 minutes, 44 seconds of fighting as they’ll ever see, as the principals went down a combined five times before Faust, a prospect from Ukraine, won the scheduled eight-round fight by knockout.
That was the good. Everyone loves crazy brawls. The decision to stop the fight and what followed wasn’t as fun.
Referee Samuel Burgos stopped the fight because he didn’t like what he saw from Kiladze, who was on the wrong end of the fifth knockdown. My first thought was, “Nooooooooo! Kiladze isn’t hurt any worse than Faust is!”
However, after I settled down, I could see I was being selfish. I just wanted the fight to continue. Burgos’ job is to assess a fighter’s condition at a given moment. He did that.
There is no defense for Kiladze’s reaction after Burgos’ waved his arms to signal the end of the fight. The enraged fighter hit the ref with a light jab, which undoubtedly will result in a fine and/or suspension.
I understand Kiladze’s frustration. He had a chance to beat a good prospect, which would’ve been a boon to his career. Still, fighters cannot under any circumstances put their hands on officials.
Strange fight.
RABBIT PUNCHES
I never really understood the fuss about Michael Coffie, who lost a decision to Jonathan Rice in a rematch on the Ortiz-Martin card. Coffie (12-2, 9 KOs) is admirable in many respects. The Bronx native is a former Marine who saw action in Afghanistan. He started boxing at an ancient 30 years old yet worked his way into meaningful fights. The problem? He always faced a steep uphill battle to progress beyond journeyman status. And now, after back-to-back losses to Jonathan Rice, he appears to have hit his ceiling. Coffie should take pride in what he was able to accomplish. The odds were against him from the beginning. Meanwhile, Rice (15-6-1, 10 KOs) has some ability. He might be able to beat a next-level heavyweight if he takes his training seriously. He came in too heavy for the fight with Coffie. … We saw a special prospect before the pay-per-view portion of the Ortiz-Martin card. Frank Martin (15-0, 11 KOs) appears to have all the tools – both God-given and learned – required for stardom, as he demonstrated in his fourth-round knockout of Romero Duno (24-3, 19 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round lightweight bout. Afterward, Martin, 26, mentioned Devin Haney’s name. It’s probably too early for that type of challenge but I suspect Martin could be competitive with any 135-pounder right now. …
Gerald Washington (20-5-1, 13 KOs) doesn’t give up, as I learned during an interview after he suffered back-to-back knockout losses against Deontay Wilder and Jarrell Miller in 2017. He bristled when I asked him whether he considered retirement, saying, “I’m not a quitter.” I admired that. Thus, I won’t be surprised if the 39-year-old plods on after being stopped by Ali Eren Demirezen (15-1, 12 KOs) on the Ortiz-Martin card. The problem is that he has now lost five of his last seven fights, an unproductive run that might signal that the end is near. … The knockdown in the last round of the Sanchez-Hammer fight was evidence that the use of replay review should be expanded. That wasn’t a knockdown. Fortunately, the mistake was irrelevant given the one-sided scoring in Sanchez’s favor. However, that type of missed call could decide a close fight. Florida officials might want to take that extra step in the interest of fairness and accuracy.
Good, bad, worse: Luis Ortiz made a power play at 42 in his KO victory over Charles Martin.
A critical look at the past week in boxing
GOOD
Luis Ortiz has 42-year-old legs and 22-year-old power. We’ll see what he can accomplish under those circumstances.
The Cuban southpaw got up from two knockdowns to stop Charles Martin in the sixth round and remain a relevant heavyweight on New Year’s Day at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
Ortiz wasn’t seriously hurt the two times he went down but I wonder whether aging legs played a role in his inability to absorb punches. They just didn’t seem sturdy at times.
The better boxer of the two never strayed from the game plan, though. He continued to fight behind his jab and wait for opportunities to take advantage of his ability to change a fight with one punch.
His chance came in Round 6, when he discombobulated Martin with an overhand left and was able to finish the job moments later.
The victory in what was billed as a title eliminator allowed Ortiz to remain in the thick of the heavyweight mix, although it’s unclear how he might fit in at the moment. Titleholders Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk have other plans.
That means Ortiz probably will have to win what would amount to another eliminator, against a heavyweight contender at the level of Andy Ruiz Jr., Joseph Parker, Frank Sanchez and Robert Helenius.
Ortiz still has the ability to be competitive with all of the above and contend for a world title, as he demonstrated on Saturday. That is if his legs cooperate.
BAD
I’ll never forget Emanuel Steward yelling at Wladimir Klitschko to finish off an overmatched, but stubborn Eddie Chambers late in their 2010 fight in Germany.
The late, great trainer knew the value of a knockout in terms of public perception. Fans might admire a fighter who outpoints his opponents. They’ll fall in love with a fighter who ends his fights inside the distance.
Steward would’ve been yelling the same thing at Frank Sanchez on the all-heavyweight Ortiz-Martin card.
Sanchez, a polished boxer, had no trouble with late replacement Christian Hammer. Ortiz’s countryman did more than enough to win the fight, as a shutout decision indicated. He just didn’t do enough to close the show.
He never took the risks, never shifted into another gear, which would’ve been required to stop Hammer (26-9, 16 KOs) give fans something to remember.
I have mixed feelings about Sanchez’s tactics. I acknowledge that Sanchez (20-0, 13 KOs) is who he is, an excellent technician whose instinct is to box, not brawl. That style has always worked for him. Why change?
Well, I also agree with Steward. If Sanchez is ever going to be a star, he’s going to have to do more than outpoint his opponents in dull fights.
WORSE
The Viktor Faust-Iago Kiladze fight might’ve been the most memorable bout on the Ortiz-Martin card – for both good and bad reasons.
Faust (9-0, 7 KOs) and Kiladze (27-6-1, 19 KOs) gave viewers as wild a 4 minutes, 44 seconds of fighting as they’ll ever see, as the principals went down a combined five times before Faust, a prospect from Ukraine, won the scheduled eight-round fight by knockout.
That was the good. Everyone loves crazy brawls. The decision to stop the fight and what followed wasn’t as fun.
Referee Samuel Burgos stopped the fight because he didn’t like what he saw from Kiladze, who was on the wrong end of the fifth knockdown. My first thought was, “Nooooooooo! Kiladze isn’t hurt any worse than Faust is!”
However, after I settled down, I could see I was being selfish. I just wanted the fight to continue. Burgos’ job is to assess a fighter’s condition at a given moment. He did that.
There is no defense for Kiladze’s reaction after Burgos’ waved his arms to signal the end of the fight. The enraged fighter hit the ref with a light jab, which undoubtedly will result in a fine and/or suspension.
I understand Kiladze’s frustration. He had a chance to beat a good prospect, which would’ve been a boon to his career. Still, fighters cannot under any circumstances put their hands on officials.
Strange fight.
RABBIT PUNCHES
I never really understood the fuss about Michael Coffie, who lost a decision to Jonathan Rice in a rematch on the Ortiz-Martin card. Coffie (12-2, 9 KOs) is admirable in many respects. The Bronx native is a former Marine who saw action in Afghanistan. He started boxing at an ancient 30 years old yet worked his way into meaningful fights. The problem? He always faced a steep uphill battle to progress beyond journeyman status. And now, after back-to-back losses to Jonathan Rice, he appears to have hit his ceiling. Coffie should take pride in what he was able to accomplish. The odds were against him from the beginning. Meanwhile, Rice (15-6-1, 10 KOs) has some ability. He might be able to beat a next-level heavyweight if he takes his training seriously. He came in too heavy for the fight with Coffie. … We saw a special prospect before the pay-per-view portion of the Ortiz-Martin card. Frank Martin (15-0, 11 KOs) appears to have all the tools – both God-given and learned – required for stardom, as he demonstrated in his fourth-round knockout of Romero Duno (24-3, 19 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round lightweight bout. Afterward, Martin, 26, mentioned Devin Haney’s name. It’s probably too early for that type of challenge but I suspect Martin could be competitive with any 135-pounder right now. …
Gerald Washington (20-5-1, 13 KOs) doesn’t give up, as I learned during an interview after he suffered back-to-back knockout losses against Deontay Wilder and Jarrell Miller in 2017. He bristled when I asked him whether he considered retirement, saying, “I’m not a quitter.” I admired that. Thus, I won’t be surprised if the 39-year-old plods on after being stopped by Ali Eren Demirezen (15-1, 12 KOs) on the Ortiz-Martin card. The problem is that he has now lost five of his last seven fights, an unproductive run that might signal that the end is near. … The knockdown in the last round of the Sanchez-Hammer fight was evidence that the use of replay review should be expanded. That wasn’t a knockdown. Fortunately, the mistake was irrelevant given the one-sided scoring in Sanchez’s favor. However, that type of missed call could decide a close fight. Florida officials might want to take that extra step in the interest of fairness and accuracy.
Luis Ortiz got up from two knockdowns to stop Charles Martin in six rounds Saturday in Hollywood, Florida.
A boxer with punching power is never out of a fight. Even when he’s 42.
Luis Ortiz got up from two knockdowns to stop Charles Martin in the sixth round to remain in the thick of the heavyweight mix Saturday night at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
Ortiz (33-2, 28 KOs) was only two fights removed from his knockout loss to Deontay Wilder in November 2019, his last important fight.
And while he and Martin (28-3-1, 25 KOs) were engaged in a competitive, back-and-forth fight for five-plus rounds, the Cuban ended up in a hole on the cards by going down in Rounds 1 and 4.
Indeed, his position as a top contender seemed to be in jeopardy going into the sixth round in what was billed as a title eliminator.
Then it happened. Ortiz, a southpaw, landed a mammoth overhand left that rearranged the brain cells of his fellow lefthander in the opening seconds of the round.
Charles Martin’s arm became entangled in the ropes when he went down. Ryan Hafey / Premiere Boxing Champions
Martin, badly dazed, initially remained on his feet but went down under a barrage of punches, during which his arm somehow became entangled in the ropes and the referee had to free him.
The wounded fighter was able to continue but he was easy prey for a finisher like Ortiz, who unloaded another flurry of hard, accurate shots that finally prompted referee Frank Santore Jr. to stop the fight at 1:37 of Round 6.
Martin, a former titleholder, was leading on all three cards after five rounds: 48-45, 48-45 and 47-46. Boxing Junkie also had Martin leading 48-45.
“I told you at the start that this was going to be fireworks between me and Martin,” Ortiz said through a translator. “He knocked me down twice and in the end I finished him. I do respect him a lot, like I told you.”
Was Ortiz worried about falling behind on the cards? Nah.
“I was definitely very focused for his fight,” he said. “I was never worried. My corner, [trainer] German [Caicedo] was telling me basically keep working the jab and that’s what I did.”
Ortiz, ranked by three of the four recognized sanctioning bodies, was asked afterward who he would like to fight next. He didn’t bite.
However, his objective is clear. He failed in two attempts to take Wilder’s world title even though he performed well in both fights. He’ll do whatever it takes to get one more shot at a major belt.
Said Ortiz, suddenly speaking in English: “I’m wishing for every heavyweight in the line for the world title.”
Luis Ortiz got up from two knockdowns to stop Charles Martin in six rounds Saturday in Hollywood, Florida.
A boxer with punching power is never out of a fight. Even when he’s 42.
Luis Ortiz got up from two knockdowns to stop Charles Martin in the sixth round to remain in the thick of the heavyweight mix Saturday night at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
Ortiz (33-2, 28 KOs) was only two fights removed from his knockout loss to Deontay Wilder in November 2019, his last important fight.
And while he and Martin (28-3-1, 25 KOs) were engaged in a competitive, back-and-forth fight for five-plus rounds, the Cuban ended up in a hole on the cards by going down in Rounds 1 and 4.
Indeed, his position as a top contender seemed to be in jeopardy going into the sixth round in what was billed as a title eliminator.
Then it happened. Ortiz, a southpaw, landed a mammoth overhand left that rearranged the brain cells of his fellow lefthander in the opening seconds of the round.
Charles Martin’s arm became entangled in the ropes when he went down. Ryan Hafey / Premiere Boxing Champions
Martin, badly dazed, initially remained on his feet but went down under a barrage of punches, during which his arm somehow became entangled in the ropes and the referee had to free him.
The wounded fighter was able to continue but he was easy prey for a finisher like Ortiz, who unloaded another flurry of hard, accurate shots that finally prompted referee Frank Santore Jr. to stop the fight at 1:37 of Round 6.
Martin, a former titleholder, was leading on all three cards after five rounds: 48-45, 48-45 and 47-46. Boxing Junkie also had Martin leading 48-45.
“I told you at the start that this was going to be fireworks between me and Martin,” Ortiz said through a translator. “He knocked me down twice and in the end I finished him. I do respect him a lot, like I told you.”
Was Ortiz worried about falling behind on the cards? Nah.
“I was definitely very focused for his fight,” he said. “I was never worried. My corner, [trainer] German [Caicedo] was telling me basically keep working the jab and that’s what I did.”
Ortiz, ranked by three of the four recognized sanctioning bodies, was asked afterward who he would like to fight next. He didn’t bite.
However, his objective is clear. He failed in two attempts to take Wilder’s world title even though he performed well in both fights. He’ll do whatever it takes to get one more shot at a major belt.
Said Ortiz, suddenly speaking in English: “I’m wishing for every heavyweight in the line for the world title.”
Heavyweight contender Frank Sanchez defeated Christian Hammer by a shutout decision Saturday in Hollywood, Florida.
Frank Sanchez’s victory over Christian Hammer was thorough but forgettable Saturday.
The Cuban heavyweight contender, fighting on the Luis Ortiz-Charles Martin pay-per-view card in Hollywood, Florida, easily outboxed Hammer to win a shutout decision.
All three judges had the same score: 100-89, which reflected Sanchez’s dominance and a knockdown in the 10th and final round.
Hammer (26-9, 16 KOs) took the fight on less than a week’s notice after Sanchez’s original opponent, Carlos Negron, tested positive for the coronavirus.
The veteran from Germany didn’t roll over but he also didn’t throw many punches, landing only a few shots per round against an excellent defensive fighter.
Meanwhile, Sanchez (20-0, 13 KOs) landed some power punches — including some punishing blows to the body — but he was content to outbox Hammer, doing enough to win and not taking unnecessary risks.
In preliminary bouts, Ali Eren Demirezen (15-1, 12 KOs) stopped Gerald Washington (20-5-1, 13 KOs) 27 seconds into the eighth round. Washington, 39, has now lost five of his last seven fights.
And Jonathan Rice (15-6-1, 10 KOs) defeated Michael Coffie (12-2, 9 KOs) by a unanimous decision in their 10-round rematch. The scores were 99-91, 97-93 and 97-93. Rice had upset Coffie by a fifth-round knockout in July.
Heavyweight contender Frank Sanchez defeated Christian Hammer by a shutout decision Saturday in Hollywood, Florida.
Frank Sanchez’s victory over Christian Hammer was thorough but forgettable Saturday.
The Cuban heavyweight contender, fighting on the Luis Ortiz-Charles Martin pay-per-view card in Hollywood, Florida, easily outboxed Hammer to win a shutout decision.
All three judges had the same score: 100-89, which reflected Sanchez’s dominance and a knockdown in the 10th and final round.
Hammer (26-9, 16 KOs) took the fight on less than a week’s notice after Sanchez’s original opponent, Carlos Negron, tested positive for the coronavirus.
The veteran from Germany didn’t roll over but he also didn’t throw many punches, landing only a few shots per round against an excellent defensive fighter.
Meanwhile, Sanchez (20-0, 13 KOs) landed some power punches — including some punishing blows to the body — but he was content to outbox Hammer, doing enough to win and not taking unnecessary risks.
In preliminary bouts, Ali Eren Demirezen (15-1, 12 KOs) stopped Gerald Washington (20-5-1, 13 KOs) 27 seconds into the eighth round. Washington, 39, has now lost five of his last seven fights.
And Jonathan Rice (15-6-1, 10 KOs) defeated Michael Coffie (12-2, 9 KOs) by a unanimous decision in their 10-round rematch. The scores were 99-91, 97-93 and 97-93. Rice had upset Coffie by a fifth-round knockout in July.
Luis Ortiz promises drama against Charles Martin on Saturday.
Luis Ortiz begins his pursuit of another title shot in earnest this Saturday in Hollywood, Florida.
The 42-year-old Cuban heavyweight is two fights removed from his seventh-round knockout loss to Deontay Wilder in November 2019, his second failed attempt to withstand the monumental power of former WBC titleholder.
Ortiz (32-2, 27 KOs) rebounded to stop journeyman Alexander Flores in 45 seconds a year later but faces a genuine challenge against another former beltholder, Charles Martin, on an all-heavyweight pay-per-view card.
Ortiz will have been out of the ring for 14 months but he says we’ll see the best version of him.
“My mind is 100 percent and that’s the most important thing,” he said. “On Saturday night, everyone will see that physically I’m also completely ready to become world champion.”
Martin (28-2-1, 25 KOs) lost his IBF title to Anthony Joshua in less than two full rounds in his first defense in 2016 but is 4-1 since then, including a brutal sixth-round knockout of Gerald Washington in February of last year.
That was almost two years ago, the longest layoff in Martin’s career. However, he’s brimming with confidence. He predicted that he’ll follow Wilder’s lead and stop Ortiz.
Ortiz finds that notion amusing.
“When somebody says they’re going to knock me out, it just makes me laugh and smile,” Ortiz said. “Everybody says that. But you’re facing a fighter who has been through it before, so you can try your best.
“… He’s coming with bad intentions and so am I. Anyone can land the big shot, but it’s going to be me with my hand-raised Saturday night.”
That wouldn’t be shocking given Ortiz’s track record. No one other than Wilder has been competitive with “King Kong.” And only five of his victims have taken him the distance, evidence of his punching power.
He suggests that those watching shouldn’t look away.
“I’m very thankful for this great opportunity that my team has set me up with on Saturday night,” he said. “It’s exciting to be able to give the fans a great show.”
And if things go well? Ortiz has had difficulty luring the top big men into the ring, aside from Wilder. A victory over Martin will put him in a stronger position to get the fights he wants.
“All these guys that are talking, that say my name and claim they want to fight me never seem willing to take that next step,” Ortiz told BoxingScene. “It’s just talk. The others don’t even bother to say my name.
“I don’t know why. I’m ready to beat them all one by one.”
Luis Ortiz promises drama against Charles Martin on Saturday.
Luis Ortiz begins his pursuit of another title shot in earnest this Saturday in Hollywood, Florida.
The 42-year-old Cuban heavyweight is two fights removed from his seventh-round knockout loss to Deontay Wilder in November 2019, his second failed attempt to withstand the monumental power of former WBC titleholder.
Ortiz (32-2, 27 KOs) rebounded to stop journeyman Alexander Flores in 45 seconds a year later but faces a genuine challenge against another former beltholder, Charles Martin, on an all-heavyweight pay-per-view card.
Ortiz will have been out of the ring for 14 months but he says we’ll see the best version of him.
“My mind is 100 percent and that’s the most important thing,” he said. “On Saturday night, everyone will see that physically I’m also completely ready to become world champion.”
Martin (28-2-1, 25 KOs) lost his IBF title to Anthony Joshua in less than two full rounds in his first defense in 2016 but is 4-1 since then, including a brutal sixth-round knockout of Gerald Washington in February of last year.
That was almost two years ago, the longest layoff in Martin’s career. However, he’s brimming with confidence. He predicted that he’ll follow Wilder’s lead and stop Ortiz.
Ortiz finds that notion amusing.
“When somebody says they’re going to knock me out, it just makes me laugh and smile,” Ortiz said. “Everybody says that. But you’re facing a fighter who has been through it before, so you can try your best.
“… He’s coming with bad intentions and so am I. Anyone can land the big shot, but it’s going to be me with my hand-raised Saturday night.”
That wouldn’t be shocking given Ortiz’s track record. No one other than Wilder has been competitive with “King Kong.” And only five of his victims have taken him the distance, evidence of his punching power.
He suggests that those watching shouldn’t look away.
“I’m very thankful for this great opportunity that my team has set me up with on Saturday night,” he said. “It’s exciting to be able to give the fans a great show.”
And if things go well? Ortiz has had difficulty luring the top big men into the ring, aside from Wilder. A victory over Martin will put him in a stronger position to get the fights he wants.
“All these guys that are talking, that say my name and claim they want to fight me never seem willing to take that next step,” Ortiz told BoxingScene. “It’s just talk. The others don’t even bother to say my name.
“I don’t know why. I’m ready to beat them all one by one.”
