Deontay Wilder Vs Luis Ortiz: it’s a potentially explosive heavyweight match-up that has been listed as a possibility for some months, and now, according to numerous news sources, the fight has been nailed down for November 4 in Brooklyn. According to a piece on Yahoo! Sports, promoter Lou DiBella has neither confirmed nor denied the fight, saying to writer Kevin Iole, “Wait until you see what Deontay is up to.”
Also on the Yahoo! Sports piece is confirmation that the New York Athletic Commission has reserved the date of November 4 at The Barclays Centre in New York. Wilder himself put out a Tweet a few hours ago, in which he wrote:
“You see @kingkongboxing and NYC don’t mix, for we all know what happened to KING KONG when them #BombZquad cannons hit.”
If the fight does happen (and it’s up now on BoxRec) both unbeaten punchers deserve credit for taking such a dangerous match. Wilder, though, needs to get in there with a legit foe, something his critics say he has not done since winning the WBC belt by decisioning Bermane Stiverne back in January of 2015. Against Cuban southpaw Ortiz, Wilder, 38-0(37) will silence those critics who say he does not want to fight the best.
As for Ortiz, he deserves credit because he could simply have sat and waited for his earned shot at WBA title-holder Anthony Joshua; Ortiz being the WBA mandatory challenger (and Joshua has stated how he has every intention of facing Ortiz after he has dealt with his IBF mandatory, Kubrat Pulev) But now, Ortiz, 27-0(23) has an opportunity to win the WBC belt and then face AJ in what would be a huge three-belt unification clash next year. Wilder though, feels he will be the winner on November 4; and “The Bronze Bomber” no doubt feels he will emerge with another spectacular KO victory on November 4 and that it will be he who goes on to face Joshua in what could be the biggest heavyweight fight in years.
As for us fans, we will be the real winners should this fight go ahead. And right now, it sure looks as though it will go ahead.