Heaven knows what the tag-line will be for this one! Reports, originating from RingTV.com, say a Deontay Wilde-Luis Ortiz rumble is close to happening – again – this time on March 3 in New York. Fans know all about the hows and whys that went into seeing that this match-up fell apart back in November – Ortiz testing positive for a banned substance, the WBC later accepting his plea of taking nothing but medication for high blood pressure – but it now looks to be back on.
And despite the criticism the fight will no doubt be hit with from certain, well, critics, what a fight, what a slugfest, it could prove to be. Wilder is currently getting teased somewhat over his recent video message on social media. Training, and talking, Wilder, 39-0(38) made the extraordinary claim that he is not in fact a human being; that he is, in his own unique (and much ridiculed) words, “Half Human, Half Hybrid – from an extrarestrial (sic) species.”
But though Wilder’s words have attracted laughter, there is nothing funny about Wilder’s desire to prove he is the best: “I’m the best. No-one will beat me,” he claimed. And there will be nothing funny about the tough battle that will go ahead in N.Y (all being well it will go ahead, all being well for those who don’t mind seeing Ortiz pick up a bundle of a payday, that is; some people making it clear they do not want to see the Cuban earn big as they still feel he is a cheat).
Might we even get something special on March 3? Every now and again, we fight fans are treated to a an absolute gem of a knockdown, drag-out heavyweight rumble, one where both men launch bombs with seemingly reckless abandon, and knockdowns and fierce trading take place with much screaming going in in both the ringside seats and the nosebleeds.
Over the long history of heavyweight slugfests, we’ve been lucky enough to see epic wars like George Foreman-Ron Lyle (the big daddy of heavyweight slugfests), Tommy Morrison-Razor Ruddock, Derrick Jefferson-Mo Harris and Michael Moorer-Bert Cooper. Might Wilder-Ortiz bring back memories of those brutal breath-takers? We can sure hope.
One thing is sure, the March showdown will not be dull. With his serious punching power, his bombs thrown from unpredictable, even crazy angles (Half-human!?) Wilder is capable of taking the 28-0(24) Ortiz out fast. But the feeling here is this one will be a tough fight for both big men. And we want to see Wilder in a great fight, a greatly testing fight. Maybe “The Bronze Bomber’s” date with destiny is upon him.
Let’s get ready to rumble.