Cuban Luis Ortiz (28-1, 24 KO) challenged exciting WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (40-0, 39 KO).
In what was expected to be an entertaining fight for the main Card for Showtime became the fight of the year up to this point. Ortiz a boxer with the huge Cuban background was always going to present trouble for the wild puncher/brawler Wilder.
In the first round the first thing that was noticeable was the size difference between the two. Wilder has a five inch reach advantage which was insane. However, Ortiz would jab his way into Wilder while avoiding the counter punches.
Wilder nonetheless wasn’t effective with his have early or straight right to the body. This was a bad sign because of how the reach advantage was. The body was open, but never attacked it. Early on it was telling he solely searched for a perfect counter shot to land on Ortiz.
The plan Wilder put in place would not work at all for the first four rounds. Ortiz was schooling him throughout getting out to a 40-37 lead on my score card through four, third round tied.
In the fifth round the fight would become higher energy. Wilder started to let his hands go which lead to oohs and ahhhs from the crowd. Not many were landing and Ortiz was having his way. Late in the round Wilder stole it with a knockdown. Ortiz was very hurt, but got up and made it three more seconds to the bell.
The non-stop action wouldn’t stop there. The sixth was another fun round with the two guys just throwing and doing damage on each other. Wilder edged him out by being more active and dictating the fight. This point Wilder was taking over. Momentum swings in full effect.
Just when Wilder looked promising on the verge of a potential KO Ortiz came back. Wilder lands a right hand just to get hit with a counter right to the chin that hurt him. Ortiz kept up the pressure doing severe damage. Wilder holds on to Ortiz to regain himself. Ortiz just kept the pounding going landing body shots and just any shot. Could not see why the referee didn’t stop the fight, but it provided for more excitement to come.
Ortiz would control the pace in the eighth round landing a jab to cruise to a win in that round. Wilder did the same in the ninth to just trade rounds with Ortiz, but then came the tenth.
Wilder would use his jab to start the round. At some point in the middle of the round, he landed a right hook that hurt Ortiz and lead to an onslaught of vicious bombs. A right cross after a right cross, then a left hook would drop Ortiz for the second time of the fight. Ortiz would get up and continue, but not for long. Wilder landed three vicious right hooks, misses a shot, then a right uppercut to end the fight in the tenth.
In what now is the fight of the year we should see a rematch. Rematch would be fun for sure, but what the world wants to see is Wilder in the ring with Anthony Joshua. Joshua is soon to fight Joseph Parker. Assuming he wins that fight, there is no reason to not make an undisputed champion in the heavyweight division. Would be the first since Mike Tyson. Whichever fight is made should be exciting to watch.
Official result:
Wilder KO Ortiz 2:05 into the 10th round