Tag Archives: Deontay Wilder

Luis Ortiz Defeats Charles Martin After Sixth-Round Stoppage

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Luis Ortiz has notched another win…

The 42-year-old Cuban professional boxer survived two knockdowns to score a sixth-round stoppage of Charles Martin in a heavyweight fight on Saturday night at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida.

Luis Ortiz

Ortiz (33-2, 28 KOs) badly buckled Martin with an overhand left that left him dazed in the corner, and then Ortiz unloaded with a bundle of punches that sent Martin to one knee.

In a bizarre sequence, Martin’s left glove was tied up in the ropes after the knockdown until the referee freed him.

Martin (28-3-1, 25 KOs) withstood a tremendous amount of punishment before he was floored a second time. The 35-year-old St. Louis native beat the count, but the referee waved it off at 1:37 of Round 6. Martin, who was ahead 48-45, 48-45 and 47-46, protested the stoppage before walking over to Ortiz, who shoved him. They later embraced.

“I was definitely very focused for this fight; I was never worried,” said Ortiz, ESPN‘s No. 8 heavyweight through an interpreter. “Southpaw versus southpaw is a very difficult fight. In the end, intelligence won the fight.”

In the beginning, it was rocky for Ortiz. He was floored in the opening round after Martin connected with a left cross behind the ear and then again in Round 4 following a jab.

Both Ortiz and Martin boxed cautiously, seemingly wary of the other’s power, but the Cuban finally opened up in Round 6.

With the victory, Ortiz is in line for another meaningful fight in the stacked heavyweight division. His only two losses came inside the distance in title shots against Deontay Wilder, most recently a brutal one-punch knockout in November 2019.

But at 42, time is running out for Ortiz to finally win the heavyweight championship.

Top Rank Eyes October 3 Fight Date for Teofimo Lopez Jr. vs. Vasiliy Lomachenko

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The biggest fight of Teofimo Lopez Jr.’s career could be happening soon…

The lightweight unification title fight between the 22-year-old Honduran-American professional boxer, who has held the IBF lightweight title since 2019 and Vasiliy Lomachenko might now take place on October 3 in Las Vegas, Top Rank president Todd duBoef confirmed to ESPN.

Teofimo Lopez

Recently, Top Rank chairman Bob Arum suggested September 19 as a potential date for the fight, after a spring date was moved because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

DuBoef said “it’s still too early to determine everything” regarding the bout and that he is uncertain as to whether it will be closed to the public.

“I’m not sure that fight happens with fans,” duBoef told ESPN.

Top Rank, which promotes Lomachenko (14-1, 10 KOs) and Lopez (15-0, 12 KOs), has held several cards inside an enclosed area at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. DuBoef said the fight could be a potential pay-per-view bout at the MGM.

Arum told Boxingscene.com he is hopeful to have perhaps 2,000 to 2,500 people in attendance. But those plans could be altered as the pandemic worsens around the United States.

Like many other states, Nevada is experiencing a spike in COVID-19 cases. According to the most recent numbers posted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state has seen an increase of 5,889 cases over the past seven days, which is nearly a quarter of the state’s total cases since the pandemic started.

The October 3 date was originally reserved for the third bout between heavyweights Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder, duBoef told ESPN. That was pushed to December 19, leaving a potential PPV slot available.

Lomachenko is ESPN’s top pound-for-pound fighter, while Lopez won the IBF’s lightweight belt in December, when he stopped Richard Commey in the second round for his first major professional championship.

Luis “King Kong” Ortiz to Fight Deontay Wilder in a Highly Anticipated Rematch

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Luis “King Kong” Ortizis ready for a rematch…

The 40-year-old Cuban professional boxer and heavyweight world titlist Deontay Wilder have made their long-expected rematch official, formally announcing that they’ll face off again on November 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arenain Las Vegas.

Luis "King Kong" Ortiz

The Premier Boxing Championsfight will headline a Foxpay-per-view card. 

For Wilder (41-0-1, 40 Kos), who will be making his 10th title defense, retaining his belt is the final hurdle to a much-anticipated rematch with lineal champion Tyson Fury, whom he fought to a disputed draw in December at Staples Center.

If Wilder comes through against Ortiz, Wilder-Fury II is slated to take place on February 22 in a joint ESPN/Fox pay-per-view event in Las Vegas.

On paper, at least, Ortiz looms as a far greater risk to Wilder than Wallin was supposed to be to Fury.

“When I fought Ortiz, not only did he have the pedigree, but also he had the classification of being the boogeyman of the division,” Wilder said. “I agree with those who say that Luis Ortiz was my toughest fight to date. No one wanted to fight him and they still don’t. In the rematch there’s more confidence and more motivation to do what I have to do. I’ve already seen the style before. It’s going to make it more fun. I can’t wait to see how he tries to handle me when I’m at my best.”

Wilder said he was very ill going into their first fight yet still was able to prevail.

Although Wilder and Fury were close to finalizing an immediate rematch after their draw, Fury instead signed with Top Rankto have his fights on ESPN platforms. 

Eventually, however, Top Rank and Premier Boxing Champions, which handles Wilder, worked out a two-fight deal for the rematch and a third fight.

However, Wilder and Fury would each take two interim bouts first. Wilder blew away mandatory challenger Dominic Breazealein the first round May 18, Fury did the same to Tom Schwarzin the second round June 15, and then Fury escaped from Wallin two weeks ago. Now Wilder-Fury II hangs in the balance on the outcome of Wilder-Ortiz II. Ortiz aims to ruin those plans.

“I have to give Deontay Wilder a lot of credit for taking this fight because it shows he has the heart of a true champion,” Ortiz said. “He is not at all scared to take a dangerous fight, because let’s be honest, this is the most dangerous fight for him. In my opinion, he’s the best heavyweight in the world until someone beats him, a nd that’s exactly what I’m going to do on November 23. ‘King Kong’ is coming to Las Vegas!”

Wilder first faced Ortizin March 2018 in what turned out to be a dramatic fight-of-the-year contender after a slow start over the first four rounds. Wilder knocked Ortiz down in the fifth round, then nearly got stopped during an Ortiz onslaught of punches in the seventh round before rallying for a punishing 10th-round knockout victory.

Ortiz (31-1, 26 KOs), a power-punching southpaw from Cuba fighting out of Miami, who has twice failed tests for performance-enhancing drugs, has won three fights in a row since the loss to Wilder, including on the Wilder-Fury undercard.

Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandez Signs Co-Promotional Deal with Golden Boy Promotions

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Eduardo “Rocky” Hernandezhas a new deal…

The 21-year-old Mexican junior lightweight boxer, one of Mexico’s most highly touted up-and-coming boxers, has signed a co-promotional agreement with Golden Boy Promotions, according to CEO Oscar De La Hoya.

Eduardo "Rocky" Hernandez

Hernandez, who is also co-promoted by Promociones del Pueblo, one of Mexico’s leading promoters, will make his United States debut in his first fight of the deal. 

He’ll face Ibrahim Class in a 10-round fight on March 30 on the undercard of the Ryan Garcia–Jose Lopez lightweight bout at the Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, California.

De La Hoya and Oswaldo Kuchleof Promociones del Pueblo have worked together over the years, and they both hope the partnership will help launch Hernandez (27-0, 24 KOs), 21, to stardom.

“At Golden Boy, we are in the business of working with fighters from all over the world and making them into international stars,” De La Hoya said, listing an impressive roster of fighters that Golden Boy helped build into well-known names, including Deontay Wilder, Adrien Broner, Daniel Jacobs, Marcos Maidana, Abner Maresand Jermell and Jermall Charlo.

“We’re doing it presently with the biggest star in the sport, Canelo Alvarez, along with world champions such as Jaime Munguia, Rey Vargas, Xu Can, Angel Acosta and Andrew Cancio; and we have the next generation of stars with Ryan Garcia, Vergil Ortiz, and Lamont Roach Jr.“

“This company knows how to work with fighters from all kinds of backgrounds,” De La Hoya continued, “so we’re more than ready to join forces with Oswaldo Kuchle and Promociones del Pueblo to co-promote Rocky Hernandez as he begins to make big waves in the stacked 130-pound division.”

Hernandez turned pro at age 16 in February 2014.

“I’m very delighted to be presented to fans in the United States,” Hernandez said. “I am preparing very hard to give a great fight to the fans on March 30, and God willing, I will walk away with my hand raised. I have a tough opponent in front of me, but I am training very hard.”Class (22-5, 10 KOs), 28, of Tanzania, also will be fighting in the U.S. for the first time.

Hernandez to Make Professional Boxing Debut in December

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Nico Hernandez is turning pro…

The 20-year-old Latino boxer, who claimed a light flyweight bronze medal at the 2016 Rio Games in August, will make his professional debut on December 10 at the CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska, on the undercard of unified junior welterweight world champion Terence Crawford‘s hometown title defense against John Molina Jr.

Nico Hernandez

Hernandez, who doesn’t have an opponent for his four-round bout yet, will fight as a 115-pound junior bantamweight after competing at the 2016 Summer Olympics as a 108-pounder.

Hernandez said he and his father/trainer Lewis Hernandez discussed the possibility of remaining amateur and trying to improve on his performance in Rio, but Nico said he really wanted to go the professional route.

“I made the decision because financially it would be better as a pro,” Hernandez told ESPN. “If I’m getting punched in the face, I might as well get paid for it. Now they’re letting pros go to the Olympics (as of the Rio Games), so there’s really no point in being an amateur boxer anymore since the goal is to make it to the Olympics.”

At the Rio Games, Hernandez ended the medal drought for Team USA’s male boxers, who had not won an Olympic medal since heavyweight Deontay Wilder claimed a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Games. Hernandez won a three-round decision against Ecuador’s Carlos Eduardo Quipo Palaxti in the quarterfinals to clinch a bronze.

Hernandez wasn’t considered a medal favorite when the Rio Games began, but his Cinderella run ended with a decision loss to eventual gold medalist Hasanboy Dusmatov, of Uzbekistan, in the semifinals. Two bronze medals are awarded in boxing.

Hernandez, who began boxing at age 9 and was approximately 122-13 as an amateur, returned home to Wichita as a hero. He was feted at a parade, and Wichita State University bestowed him with a four-year, full-ride scholarship.

Hernandez went 3-1 during the Olympics and became the first American light flyweight to win a medal since Michael Carbajal — who went on to have a Hall of Fame professional career — claimed silver in the 1988 Seoul Games. Hernandez said he plans to work toward a degree while boxing professionally.

“I definitely want something [to] fall back on,” Hernandez said.

But he is anxious to start his pro career.

“I can’t wait to go pro. I’ve been wanting to for a while,” Hernandez said.