Luis Ortiz thinks Tyson Fury will suffer the same fate as he did last Saturday in Fury’s upcoming rematch against Deontay Wilder.
The dangerous Cuban contender suspects Wilder won’t respect Fury when they fight again, presumably because Fury doesn’t punch as hard as Ortiz hits. That’ll likely lead, according to Ortiz, to Wilder finishing the job this time against the lineal heavyweight champion.
“Me and Fury are two completely different fighters,” Ortiz said during a post-fight press conference Saturday night at MGM Grand. “I don’t believe that Wilder probably will respect Fury in a rematch, and [they] might have the same outcome by knockout victory.”
Wilder was mindful of Ortiz’s power throughout their rematch Saturday night at MGM Grand Garden Arena. The unbeaten WBC world heavyweight champion carefully approached Ortiz for six-plus rounds in their FOX Sports Pay-Per-View main event.
Late in the seventh round, he drilled the skillfull, powerful southpaw with an overhand right that knocked Ortiz flat on his back and emphatically ended their scheduled 12-round rematch.
Ortiz was ahead on all three scorecards at the time of the stoppage.
Judges Dave Moretti and Steve Weisfeld each scored five of the first six rounds for Ortiz (59-55). Judge Eric Cheek credited Ortiz for winning four of the first six rounds (58-56).
The 40-year-old Ortiz (31-2, 26 KOs, 2 NC) barely beat referee Kenny Bayless’ count. Bayless still stopped the action with nine seconds remaining in the seventh round.
The heavy-handed Wilder’s seventh-round stoppage of Ortiz ensured his place in a more anticipated rematch versus Fury.
They signed contracts for their second bout even before Wilder opposed Ortiz a second time. The Wilder-Fury rematch is tentatively scheduled for February 22 at a site to be determined.
Wilder (42-0-1, 41 KOs), of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, floored Fury twice in their first fight – once apiece in the ninth and 12th rounds. England’s Fury (29-0-1, 20 KOs) survived those two knockdowns and battled Wilder to a controversial, 12-round split draw last December 1 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
–boxingscene.com
