By: Hans Themistode
It was a mistake. One that Heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz vows will not happen again.
The big punching Cuban bred boxer wasn’t just undefeated in his career coming into his championship matchup with WBC belt holder Deontay Wilder. He was also arguably the most feared fighter regardless of weight class.
The Heavyweights of this era aren’t exactly known for having the best boxing abilities. Instead, they all seem to have one punch knockout power. None compares to Wilder of course, but then again, there aren’t many men throughout history who can.
Ortiz isn’t just a big man standing at six feet four inches and weighing routinely over 240 pounds, but he is also a slick boxer as well. He spends most of his contests making his opponent look silly before ultimately closing the show. When Ortiz gets his opponents in trouble, the end is usually near.
The Heavyweight contender had Wilder exactly where he wanted him in the seventh round. After Ortiz picked himself up off the ground in the fifth, he had Wilder in the most trouble of his career in that aforementioned seventh round.
Wilder staggered across the ring looking to hold on after he took shot after shot. To the surprise of many, including Ortiz, Wilder made it out of the round.
“As soon as I made the connection and hurt him and I knew I was going to finish him and that the fight was basically over,” Ortiz said recently. “I haven’t had a situation like that where I hadn’t gotten a knockout in a scenario like that.”
To witness Wilder withstand the barrage of punches that came from Ortiz unscathed was impressive. The Cuban Heavyweight gave it everything he had in that seventh round and as a result of that unsuccessful onslaught, he tired himself out and was subsequently finished off in the tenth.
In part two of their rivalry which will take place on November 23rd, at the MGM Grand Arena, in Las Vegas, Nevada, Ortiz vows to not only be prepared physically but mentally as well.
“It’s just a matter of putting some punches together and winning this fight,” said Ortiz. “One thing for sure is that both mentally and physically I’m at my best and prepared.”
Even at the age of 40, the skills of Ortiz does not seem to be diminishing. With that being said however, in terms of being a professional fighter, he is getting up there in age. Ortiz has been recently seen in pictures and videos during the lead up of this contest and it seems as though he is in the best possible shape of his career. Will that be enough to rip the belt away from Wilder who is looking to defend his title for the tenth time? We will all find out come this Saturday night.
