Coming perilously close to losing his belt and unbeaten record was quickly forgotten at the post-fight news conference, as Wilder reiterated his desire to face the victor of the bout between English superstar Joshua and New Zealand’s Joseph Parker for the other three world title belts.
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In the end, Wilder came out victorious.
Wilder also reiterated that is ready to fight the aforementioned Joshua, who is slated to defend his titles against WBO champion Joseph Parker on March 31 at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.
Wilder was on course to suffer a shock defeat when Ortiz nearly stopped the fight, only for the WBC heavyweight world champion to cling on and then turn the fight on its head, eventually moving to 40-0, just over two minutes into the 10th round.
It was all going Ortiz’s way and he should have done more to get his opponent down before the 10th-round when he was knocked out by a brutal punch.
The fight was supposed to happen last November, but Ortiz violated the WBC’s Clean Boxing Program weeks before the fight and so the bout was scrapped. Ortiz rose to his feet and was saved by the bell from taking any serious damage. The time off the stoppage was 55 seconds of the 10th round. “This solidified my position at the top of the food chain tonight”. Well, I’m here and I’m ready for him.
The 32-year-old said at his post-fight press conference: “How many times do I have to call him out?”
Joshua, 28, will meet New Zealander Parker in Cardiff, with the victor then likely to face the undefeated Wilder.
“He’s WBC champion, he’s a great fighter, who is a great personality, but for this camp he’s been like a one-man salesman, just travelling around the globe, trying to sell his own fight”.
But with just seconds left in the fifth, Wilder got through with a big right, which wobbled Ortiz, who was sent crashing to the canvas by a follow-up right hook.
The champ who scored a knockdown in the 5th with his big right hand, used it again in the final seconds of the 9th to come back from another Ortiz-dominated round.
“We knew we had to wear him down and he was a great opponent”. I will knock him out and then I will unify the division. “A lot of men have dodged Luis Ortiz, even champions have avoided him and a lot of people considered him one of the best”.
Wilder (39-0, 38 KOs) also known as the “Bronze Bomber” was originally scheduled to fight Ortiz (28-0, 24 KOs) in 2017 but the fight fell through due to Ortiz failing a VADA drug test for banned substances. Wilder is only an inch taller than Joshua, the WBA and IBO title-holder, and is just four years older than him, presenting a unique matchup of undefeated heavyweights.
“I am ready right now”. A Joshua-Wilder matchup would help the heavyweight division gain some much-needed visibility. Like I said, I’d rather be the part than look the part.
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“Most definitely, he (Eddie Hearn) is so terrified of me, he’s nervous”, Wilder told AFP.
