- 1. Deontay Wilder vs. Luis Ortiz
- 2. Deontay Wilder vs. Artur Szpilka
- 3. Deontay Wilder vs. Bermane Stiverne
DEONTAY WILDER VS LUIS ORTIZ
WON TKO 10
MARCH 3, 2018
BARCLAYS CENTER, BROOKLYN
Wilder’s best career win so far. Heavyweight veteran Ortiz is skillful, can punch hard and had been given a wide berth by other members of the heavyweight fraternity. Wilder has shown a propensity to take a risk when necessary, proven not only by his aborted trip to Russia to face drugs cheat Alexander Povetkin but with the upcoming Tyson Fury fight. Ortiz certainly represented a challenge, and Deontay rose to the occasion.
Prodding the compact Cuban with his jab early on, Wilder appeared to win as many rounds as he lost in nip-and-tuck sessions. A knockdown in round five gave Wilder the slight advantage, until the later rounds when Ortiz caught the WBC king with a right hook. The Alabama man was badly hurt, the crowd went crazy, Ortiz piled on the pressure. Wilder displayed commendable staying power and recovered well – proving his fitness. Caught by a solid right hand while in the process of rushing in, Ortiz was too fatigued to recover as Wilder’s finishing instincts kicked in, and he eventually forced the stoppage.
