The die is cast: Wilder enters ring with Ortiz Saturday

Deontay Wilder, left and Luis Ortiz in March 2018

Deontay Wilder knocked out Ortiz

Deontay Wilder knocked out Ortiz

The MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas is set to host one of the biggest heavyweight boxing showdown, as WBC heavyweight champion, Deontay Wilder, popularly known as ‘The Bronze Bomber’ defends his crown against Luis “King Kong” Ortiz on Saturday.

The last time the two met in 2018, Wilder scored a brutal knockdown against Ortiz. Ortiz had shaken Wilder with a brutal hit that made Wilder’s legs wobble in the 7th round, but somehow, he came back to finish the job with a knockout.

Wilder (41-0-1, 40 KOs) is expected to improve on his record as he aims to break Floyd Mayweather’s 51-0 record.

Against an aged Ortiz, The Bronze Bomber is expected to finish the job on time, but a witty Ortiz can pull an upset if Wilder exposes his chin.

The bout carries a tangible excitement that portends a thrilling fight, perhaps one for the ages.

Wilder, 34 years old, 6’ 7” in height and weighing in at about 215 pounds, is committed to solidifying his stature in the division and overall place in heavyweight history.

Related News

Ortiz, the Cuban born 40 years old, 6’ 4” tall and looking to fight at around 230 pounds has also refrained from pounding his chest to the press, praising Wilder as the best heavyweight of this decade.

Quite a compliment considering the dominance by the Klitschko brothers (Wladimir “Dr. Steelhammer” Klitschko (48-3-2, 40 KOs) and Vitali “Dr. Ironfist” Klitschko (64-5-0, 53 KOs)), who collectively dominated the heavyweight division for over a decade, ending in 2017. “Until someone beats him, Wilder is the best heavyweight of this decade,” says Ortiz.

According to East Side Boxing, the palpable excitement regarding this contest stems from a burning desire from both champion and challenger to forge a legacy in the storied marquee heavyweight division. While the forty-year-old Ortiz is clearly nearing the end of his career, he is as live an underdog as you can get—especially in the heavyweight division, where one punch can end a fight more than any other weight class.

While Ortiz cannot be compared to the legendary George Foreman on many levels, he possesses many similarities: experience, strength, distilled wisdom between the ropes, and a fierce confidence that he can be king if even for a brief period. That makes him dangerous. Moreover, recent training camp reports from the Ortiz camp point to a more focused, disciplined and healthy fighter this time around.

Ortiz finds himself in an enviable pugilistic position—less to lose and more to gain than his opponent who has boasted that he intends to retire undefeated after surpassing Floyd “Money” Mayweather in career wins without a loss. Bold words from a fighter who has yet to face the level of competition of Mayweather, let alone Rocky Marciano.

The phrase “history repeats itself” rings especially true in the history of the Sweet Science. Anticipation of an action-packed battle that will end in brutal fashion and build upon the greatness of the fighters’ previous bout is a safe bet even in Las Vegas this Saturday.

Load more