Joshua Wants To Face The Deontay Wilder vs. Luis Ortiz Winner
IBF, IBO, WBA heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua is ready and willing to fight winner of the potential showdown between WBC champion Deontay Wilder and undefeated challenger Luis Ortiz, according to the unified champion's promoter Eddie Hearn.
Joshua is slated to make a mandatory defense against Kubrat Pulev of Bulgaria, likely on October 28th Cardiff. If Joshua comes through his IBF obligation, he would then have to make a mandatory defense against the WBA's challenger, which is Ortiz.
But he can avoid the possibility of an Ortiz fight, if Wilder faces the dangerous Cuban in November.
If Wilder defeats Ortiz, then it would set up a showdown with Joshua in the summer of 2018, says Hearn.
"As I'm hearing it, Ortiz could fight Wilder which is a great fight. If he does, we'd like to fight the winner," Hearn told Sky Sports. "AJ is up for fighting anyone.
"It brings a unification fight closer, rather than waiting for next summer. We've got an IBF mandatory to take care of. Then we've got a WBA mandatory to take care of, which could be Ortiz."
The World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman has already backed a potential Wilder-Joshua unification. The sanctioning body head assures that his organization will do everything possible to push through a Wilder vs. Joshua fight.
"We will do whatever is possible and necessary to make it happen. That's the fight everybody wants to see. Joshua is a tremendous attraction and a positive role model, and Wilder is the same," Sulaiman said.
"Two undefeated champions should meet in the ring as soon as possible. Both have commitments to finish, so next year is the time to meet."
Both Wilder and Ortiz are advised by Al Haymon, who is very friendly with Hearn. There won't be any network issues either. Joshua has an exclusive television deal with Showtime, which is the same network Wilder and Ortiz are aligned with as well.
Deontay Wilder-Luis Ortiz is looking good for Nov. 4! Stiverne reportedly agrees step-aside deal to allow the fight to go ahead
James Slater - September 1, 2017 10 Comments
Fingers crossed Deontay Wilder will indeed defend his WBC belt against Luis Ortiz next. The fight, tentatively pencilled in for November 4 in New York with Showtime to televise, has – or had – one big stumbling block: Bermane Stiverne.
As fans know, Stiverne, the former WBC heavyweight champ, remains the WBC mandatory contender and up until recently he wasn’t playing ball at all in terms of allowing Wilder to fight anyone other than himself next. But according to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, who got his info from “a source with knowledge of the situation,” Stiverne has agreed to terms that will see Wilder-Ortiz go ahead on Nov. 4.
Apparently, the plan is for Stiverne (who has boxed just once since dropping a decision to Wilder in January of 2015, losing his belt in the process) to box on the Wilder-Ortiz under-card (possibly against Dominic Breazeale) with the winner of this supporting bout getting a written agreement that the winner of Wilder and Ortiz would then face them next (Stiverne will also likely get a nice pile of cash as part of the deal if it goes ahead and gets made).
Nothing is official yet and there are many things that could go wrong, but if everything goes right as far as fight fans who very much want to see Wilder against Ortiz are concerned, then we could get a great night of heavyweight boxing in November. It’s unclear where this would leave WBA/IBF heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua, who, after he gets past his IBF mandatory Kubrat Pulev, must grant WBA mandatory Ortiz a title shot.
If Ortiz beat Wilder, he would then be obligated to face the Stiverne-TBA winner, so things could get confusing. Still, as exciting as a Wilder-Ortiz rumble promises to be, fight fans may not care too much. This in-the-works battle between unbeaten big men, both of which are able to punch with serious authority, would perhaps be bigger than any belt.
Who wins? Let’s hope we find out!
Deontay Wilder vs Luis Ortiz reportedly a done deal for November 4 in Brooklyn
James Slater - September 13, 2017 7 Comments
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.
Q&A: Heavyweight Alexis Santos
By Jason Marchetti
Heavyweight Alexis Santos (18-1, 15 KO’s) from Lawrence Massachusetts, headlines Broadway Boxing card at Foxwoods Resort and Casino this weekend promoted by DiBella Entertainment. Fighting for the third time in the past year, Santos will step up to fight Niall Kennedy (8-0, 5 KO’s) from Gorey, Ireland.
Photo: Emily Harney
Santos has won 5 fights in a row since his lone loss, the result of an injury sustained in the first round against Daniel Martz in 2014. Santos destroyed Martz in the rematch two years later, knocking him out in the 7th round of their scheduled 10 round bout.
At 6’0 and 225 lbs, Santos is a smaller heavyweight who trains at the Haverhill Inner City Boxing Club and Youth Development Center by trainer Mel Peabody and manager Sean Farley. He has had success fighting almost exclusively in the Northeast with 15 of his 19 contests ending by knockout. Fightnews.com caught up with the rising prospect ahead of this weekend’s showdown.
Who promoted you prior to DiBella?
I was a promotional free agent for most of my boxing career. I was approached by smaller promoters but I decided to hire a manager and stay independent. It was a necessary evil to do so, but you learn how to deal with the industry, sell tickets, and get a spot on cards when needed.
Prior to my injury, I was hoping to sign with Golden Boy. I took some time and proved myself and now I’m very happy to be in my third fight with Lou DiBella.
Explain your injury against Martz and your recovery.
I was 13-0 and hoping to sign a deal with Golden Boy who televised the event on Fox Sports. I was moving around the taller Martz (who is 6’7) and as I threw a left hook, I felt pain in my legs. I didn’t know it but I tore my ACL and tried to fight through it. Later in the 2nd round, I tore my meniscus and couldn’t continue. It took about 18 months to heal with physical therapy. It was a long lay-off, but I was able to reflect and re-evaluate my boxing situation and it made me a smarter person inside and outside the ring.
How would you rate your last performance against Jesse Barboza?
I give myself a C+/B-. Jesse came to fight and was tougher than expected. I tend to sometimes start slow, and looking back I should have opened up earlier. Jesse was coming off a loss and took it seriously. I was happy to out-work him and get the victory and in the end, I was able to learn from it. He’s a solid opponent.
How did the fight with Naill Kennedy come together?
Murphy’s Boxing proposed the bout. I discussed it with my team and took the fight. That was the only option at the moment and I want to fight and stay active. I know he will probably be my toughest fight to date. I fought on a few Murphy’s cards so I know the promoter and his team. He has a strong amateur background. He comes to fight. But this is business and should be a good test for both of us.
Your record is 18-1, but few top 100 opponents. Who would you like to face in the top 50 or top 25 in the division
I don’t want to cherry-pick. At the end of the day, I want a lucrative payday and I’ll go to them to do it. I want top 10 contenders. I’m old-school. I ready to take the next step and go into someone’s hometown in order to climb the ranks. The time is now to compete at that level and hopefully this fight will take me there. I leave the opponents to the managers and promoters, and I’ll do my job inside the ring.
Would you consider going to Europe to fight on the B-side of a card?
It’s always in the back of my mind. I’ll go anywhere to get a shot. The East coast is nice, but I want to follow the money.
As a smaller heavyweight, do you have any reservations about fighting bigger opponents? How do you make up for the lack of size?
Good question. Work twice as hard, be in shape, out-work your opponent, and don’t get caught. Heavyweight boxing is beautiful and nasty. One punch can change everything. They may be bigger and stronger, but I’m faster and more accurate. I’m also a smaller target. I’ll stay in the gym, get my road work in, and be in superior conditioning every time. Big risks equal big rewards.
The landscape of the heavyweight division has changed in the past two years. People seem to be more interested.
Agreed. There are guys with talent and who are physical specimens like Parker, Joshua, and Wilder. They are taking over. There is lots of excitement and good fights coming up. But heavyweight inventory is still low. It is sometimes still tough to get fights.
At 6’0, have you ever considered dropping to cruiserweight?
Not really. I’m weaker at anything less than 210-215. I don’t think it realistically would be very healthy. I wouldn’t rule it out but I’m strongest at 225 lbs.
Do you have a plan to be more active?
Hopefully stay in shape and keep the ball rolling. I’m 28 and now I’m boxing full-time. That’s why I’m happy to be with Lou to keep me active and get me opportunities.
Wilder vs Ortiz, Stiverne vs Breazeale, Jacobs – November 4 promises to be a great night of boxing
James Slater - September 19, 2017 Leave a Comment
There are a few big fight cards still to come this year, but the biggest year end card that will close out what has been a good year for the sport overall could well be the one we fans will get on November 4. It has been confirmed that WBC heavyweight ruler Deontay Wilder will defend his belt against Luis Ortiz, at Barclays Centre, New York, with Showtime to televise.
A seemingly guaranteed can’t-miss shoot-out between two undefeated proven punchers, Wilder is likely to get the stiffest, most testing fight of his entire career to date. Wilder is hugely confident and deserves credit for taking such a big risk. As for Cuba’s Ortiz, he too deserves credit for taking this fight when he could have simply sat and waited for his mandatory shot at the WBA title currently held by Anthony Joshua.
Ortiz too is supremely confident. It seems we will witness one huge explosion on November 4. But as great as the maim event, sorry, main event promises to be, it will be backed by a solid under-card. Also at heavyweight, former champ Bermane Stiverne (who took step aside money to allow Wilder-Ortiz to go ahead; being the WBC mandatory challenger) will square off with once-beaten contender and former Olympian Dominic Breazeale.
Stiverne, 25-2-1(21) will be having just the second fight since losing his belt to Wilder in January of 2015, while Breazeale, 18-1(16) will be having his second fight since losing his unbeaten record to Joshua who stopped him in a IBF title fight in June of last year. In his last fight in February, on the Wilder-Gerald Washington card, Breazeale won a thriller in halting the tough and dangerous Izuagbe Ugonoh. Breazeale-Stiverne could turn out to be another memorable heavyweight battle.
And to add further to the exciting card, we could also see the return of Danny Jacobs on November 4. According to Dan Rafael, promoters are trying to get Jacobs, 32-2(29) a fight on the card. Last time out of course, Jacobs pushed middleweight king Gennady Golovkin hard for all 12 rounds. Fans are eager to see the former WBA middleweight champ in action and it will be very interesting to see who he faces should he appear on what really does promise to be a value for money card.
I seriously hope Wilder v Ortiz goes ahead and if so, it doesn't end up like that Wilder v Scott farce.
Wilder, Ortiz speak
Undefeated WBC Heavyweight World Champion Deontay “The Bronze Bomber” Wilder and Cuban southpaw Luis “The Real King Kong” Ortiz spoke about their upcoming November 4th title clash.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time and I’m excited that the time has come to meet Luis Ortiz,” said Wilder. “Ortiz is considered the boogeyman of the sport and I am the hardest hitter in boxing. When you put us together in a ring, you will get one of the best heavyweight fights in a long time. I will unify the division. This I promise. This is the first step towards unifying. Any heavyweight that gets in my way is getting knocked out.”
“Wilder has been doing a lot of talking about me and this fight,” said Ortiz. “I’m tired of hearing it. I’m not that big on talking. I like to do all my talking in the ring and that’s what I plan to do. I respect him. I know he hits hard, but I hit hard too. It’s going to be a great fight. I can’t wait to get in the ring and shut him up in front of everybody at Barclays Center on SHOWTIME on November 4.”