By: Hans Themistode
Heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz is in search of a fight. Which isn’t exactly surprising considering his track record.
The last time he was seen in the ring, Ortiz (31-2, 26 KOs) was seemingly just a few rounds away from becoming the first Cuban born Heavyweight world champion.
On November 23rd, at the MGM Grand Arena, in Las Vegas Nevada, Ortiz found himself standing across the ring from then champion Deontay Wilder. Through six rounds, Ortiz was on his way to making history. Cuban born fighters have always garnered a ton of respect in the boxing world. They’re often slick, defensively responsible, strong and maybe even a bit boring. Ortiz was all of that, minus the boring part.
For as good as Cuban born fighters have proven to be, the Heavyweights have shown that they are just that. Good, but not great.
Yet, with six rounds left in his second shot at a Heavyweight title, Ortiz almost hit champion status. But then, like most of Wilder’s fights, everything came to an end as Ortiz was stopped in the 7th round.
With two cracks at a world title coupled with two losses, Ortiz seems perfectly content with going from contender to high level gatekeeper.
“All of those people who are out there, Kownacki the one who lost, Povetkin, Dillan Whyte … they all want to fight for world titles, but first they have to go through King Kong. I am the metal test,” Ortiz said. It gives me great joy that people think a little more about me. I am determined to continue my career.”
The soon to be 41 year old Ortiz is on the back end of his career at this point. But the big fights that he seems to always be in search of, could be coming his way very soon.
Former unified Heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz is reportedly ready to take his career more seriously. After causing one of the biggest upsets in boxing history with a win over Anthony Joshua in June of 2019, Ruiz fell off a cliff in the immediate rematch, losing virtually every round.
Now, with Ruiz claiming that he wants to turn things around, the former Heavyweight champ wants to get his hands on a tune up fight before jumping back into the deep end of the water.
Ortiz though, wants to hear nothing of it.
“Why does [Ruiz need] a tune up fight? We as boxers need opponents to help us lift our name. I prefer to always fight against people with marksmanship and not those who are below my level. And now more than ever I am dangerous for anyone who wants to rise in this division. I feel young, my children are the engine of my career.”
With much of the boxing schedule on freeze due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Ruiz might opt to jump into a big showdown with Ortiz to make up for lost time.