Luis Ortiz

Sure, there's no denying he has boxing skills, he's not just a wild puncher...

At the same time, there's still levels to this - if you can be slick and skillful against numerous top tier opponents then the eye test is confirmed (eg Usyk).

But if all you've beaten is a gatekeeper and a bunch of journeymen like Ortiz has, that only tells you that he's able to look tidy against unspectacular fighters... Does he really have the skills to carry that on against guys with better skills and better ability to read and adjust to him? I'm not convinced he does, at least not to the extent that he'd be beating any of the legit contenders, IMHO.

 

The fact that his career was derailed from PEDs just when it started to take off did not help.

He also has atrocious health and was only just barely cleared to fight Wilder the day of the first fight.

 

He should have fought Ustinov and made an earlier run at it.

 

The high blood pressure thing has become a joke about Ortiz's age. Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier suffered from high blood pressure before fights in their 20s. Frazier was in the hospital for weeks after the first Ali fight with high blood pressure. Ali's first fight with Liston was almost called the day of the fight because Ali's blood pressure was so high. Ali was 22. People can be fit, athletic and even very YOUNG and have high blood pressure.

Most of the garbage around Luis Ortiz is based on peoples' perceptions and a fragment of information they read and have blown out of proportion.

Luis Ortiz has never looked bad in any pro fight. Ever.

He had two title shots. He performed great in both fights. His first with Wilder was a classic war. In the rematch, Ortiz was far ahead before he got caught. You can't watch any Luis Ortiz fight to date and say Ortiz doesn't look good. He's always excelled in the ring as a pro.

The rest of all this nonsense is just garbage and smoke at this point. "Could've fought him. Should've done this. Too old. Too sick. Too ancient. Too this. Too that." I'm so sick of hearing and reading about it.

Then you put on his fights, and he looks just fine. He has never been an easy out.

From a boxing standpoint, how has he looked vulnerable in the ring? Nobody talks about that, because HE DOESN'T look vulnerable in the ring. It's always about the "coulda woulda shoulda" crap.

Nothing would make me happier as a fan than seeing Luis Ortiz have the best year of his career in 2022.

 

I always liked Ortiz. It's a shame he never really got his act together. As for having his best year in 2022, I seriously doubt it, but I would also be happy about it if it happened.

 

Watch him vs Scott

 

Watch him do what? Win every round. Drop Scott over and over and over again.

Do you think Ortiz lost?

 

I'm rooting for The God, though I recognize that King Kong should KO him

 

Kind of reminds me a little of 90s Shannon Briggs. Looked like a killer and the next great heavy out of New York after Tyson and Bowe. Looked like a million bucks against no hopers, but the first piece of resistance he met he was KOd.

But then Briggs started fighting decent fighters here and there. With the exception of Wilder (and I'll give him credit for Jennings) Ortiz is in his 40s and Charles Martin is about to be one of his top 4 opponents of his 34 fight 11 year career.

 

No, watch how bad he looked

Couldnt over come or figure out Scotts negative tactics

And Scott fell over mostly

 

While he clearly dominated on the scorecards the consensus at the time was that it was an underwhelming performance. Personally I thought that was a bit harsh as it's hard to look good vs such a negative opponent.

But it did expose a weakness of Ortiz's. Fact is Ortiz is a pure counter puncher he does best when opponents come to him allowing him to counter but when he's forced to chase and try to cut off the ring, it exposes his slow feet. He struggled to cut off the ring throughout even when it was clear Scott wasn't any threat. We would again see this when he fought Wilder. Even against a Wilder who we all know can't fight off the back foot, he couldn't put him away, despite winning round after round, when forced to lead he's far less effective.

 

Really? The IBF are going to allow the winner to side step Hrgovic?
That would seem a bit corrupt.

 

Problem with Ortiz is that he has never wanted to stretch himself unless its for a belt (and a heap of cash).

Pretty much stalled his career..

 

Also the failed drug tests didn't help

 

He has decent skills but is over-hyped. Never lived up to the King Kong moniker.