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.
