Over the past two weeks, undefeated WBC World Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder and Cuba’s Luis Ortiz have held separate media days for their upcoming showdown Saturday, November 23rd.
Ortiz is training in Las Vegas while Wilder is training at home in Alabama.
The bout takes place at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada, live on FOX Sports Pay-Per-View. In their first bout, in March 2018, Wilder (41-0-1, 40 KOs) won a thrilling 10th-round knockout, handing Ortiz his first loss. Ortiz (31-1, 26 KOs) controlled the action for large stretches of the fight and nearly had Wilder out in the seventhround but Wilder persevered and scored 3 knockdowns on his way to the stoppage victory.
Leonard Ellerbe, CEO of Mayweather Promotions, which is the lead promoter for this bout, sees another classic shapping up.
“After visiting both camps I am really impressed with both guys as we get closer to the fight. Ortiz has shown me with bringing in Coach Larry Wade that he is very determined to be in the best shape of his life as he heads into the rematch. In Wilder’s case, watching him him first hand and watching him spar, he has improved so much. I am just really really impressed with how much he has improved with his technique,” Ellerbe told BoxingScene.com.
The 40-year-old Ortiz looked noticeably slimmer at his media day than he has for his previous fights. Coach Wade has also worked with champions and former champions Caleb Plant, Badou Jack and Shawn Porter among others.
Wilder has been out boxed in many of his fights but has remained undefeated because of the power he packs in his right hand. 40 of his 41 victories have come by knockout but Ellerbe believes that the 34-year-old is still improving and that his boxing ability is being overlooked.
“He has added some other things to his arsenal. Wilder is looking to take over the entire heavyweight division and everything that I have seen thus far, he is right on track,” Ellerbe stated.
–boxingscene.com
