PBC Rockets Through Fight Week, Wilder Cannon Right-Hand Blast Ortiz In Seven

BY Scottie “The Context” White

MGM Grand Las Vegas (November 23, 2019) (PBC) Premier Boxing Championship attracted a star studded crowed to the mecca of boxing for Deontay Wilder (42-0 41KOs) to defend his WBC crown versus Luis Ortiz (31-2, 26 KOs, 2 NC) in an epic rematch. These two heavyweight titans clashed in March of 2018 seeing both deliver thunderous moments during their bout which made for an assuming rematch to calendar a much anticipated rematch. Wilder dropped Ortiz with a hammer right hand to the cranial cap as he reclined into the ropes. He would rise to fight on as Wilder gauge distanced and timing well to the fluent south paw Ortiz who cash in dividends with his jab early rounds. As the 7th commenced, both fighters were trading periodically as Wilder landed on Ortiz only to be countered with a right hook buzzing the champion. 41 seconds to sustain a barrage of hand fueled firepower complimented Ortiz as he attempted to power for a finish of Wilder in a world wind seventh round. Bell sounded as Wilder b-lined for his corner, then to start the eight-round Wilder was called to be examined by the referee for approximately 20 seconds.

Commentators like Paulie Malinaggi didn’t understand the reason for the stoppage in which he implied was providing extra recovery for Wilder. The referee called action as both fighter engaged. Ortiz stayed the course firing off his jab as Wilder calibrated his power shots. A boxing thriller as the pair unloaded their munition headed into the championship rounds. Wilder would scholar his consistency as he methodically auditioned another power shot catching Ortiz sending him down for a second appointment. Making the count, Wilder exerted his tenacious strength seeing Ortiz as the wounded prey but this time Wilder land a crushing left hand with a stinging uppercut forcing Ortiz to lower deck as the referee stepped in to close out Wilder 7th defense coupled with his 40 wins – 39 knock outs.

The chapter closed for the bronzebomber that night but not without a bookmark. Wilder would rally off two more wins in a tough 12-rounder with former unified champion Tyson Fury and title contender Dominic Breazeale who met the front end of a Wilder guided missile ending a first round stoppage. The impact separating his 40th opponent on the mantle of his knock out trophies cataloged in the bronzebomber museum or nod.

Following his defeat of Breazeale, word quickly buoyed his next opponent would be a rematch with the Cuban Striker Ortiz. Wilder mentioned blessing Ortiz again who has a daughter with a medical diagnosis as his own and connected on a deeper level outside the ropes of boxing. November couldn’t get here soon enough as Ortiz balanced the scales at 236.5lbs and Wilder 219.5 a 171/2 disparity which isn’t new to the champion who has fought a lighter armor in previous contest. The importance was Ortiz conditioning, highlighted by the boxing voices essentially hyping the complimented booster the older Ortiz needed to appease those who exacerbates the fighter age in boxing talks.

As the star-studded crowd pedestrian the MGM Grand, some earlier than other to watch the boxing under card. A heavy Mexican presence loaded the match-ups to the west coast boxing venue. Jhon Gemino (20-12-1 10KOs) upset undefeated lightweight Arnold Alejandro (11-0 10KOs) stopping him via knock out in the fifth-frame. Next would be Dustin Long (3-1-2 3KOs) halted Marsellos Wilder (5-2 2KOs) in the fourth-round for schedule cruiser-weight bout. 17 year older highly touted welterweight riser Vito Mielnicki jr (3-0 3KOs) closes out Marklin Bailey (6-6 4KOs) in two frames to keep his record unblemished. Leduan Barthelemy (15-1-1 7KOs) night ended early by knock out from Eduardo Ramirez (22-2-3 9KOs). Brandon Figueroa (20-0-1 15KOs) battled a tougher opposition than betting odds expected ending in a draw versus a gritty Julio Ceja (32-4-1 28KOs).

CO-Main event hosted Leo Santa Cruz (37-1-1 19KOs) outworking a gamed Miguel Flores (24-3 12KOs) in a 12-round WBA super featherweight championship unanimous victory. Cruz set another medal to his boxing legacy credentials as he addition his forth division championship Saturday night.

The headlining showcase was ultimately the fight of the night in anticipations from the thousands in attendance. Ortiz dawn a clean all white, blue trim attire as he entered the squared circle for his second shot to be the first Cuban heavyweight champion. Cheers only amplified when WBC champion Deontay Wilder marched the corner to a smoke filled tunnel reminiscent of the active battlefield smothering from air strikes as the ground unit closed down the objective. Surrounded by his team, Wilder ring-walk ensemble was a showstopping white top trunks both trimmed in a Gold – Frankincense setting with a crowning mask fit for a king leading his troops into war. One of the best designed boxing garbs we’ve ever seen on a champion, exceeding that of the late Hector Camacho Macho who was known for his flamboyant presentation to his ring entry.

From post to post Wilder and Ortiz touched gloves to start the first round. More of a feeling out process than expected based off familiarity. Ortiz fired off first working behind his jab the first couple of frames. He would stay active to a differently pacing Wilder who showed his reserve to delegated specifically when the opening was there. Ortiz remain fluent through the early rounds catching Wilder with combinations with some bouncing off the front-side defensive guard of Wilder.

Ortiz scored early with his effective jabs, counters and periodically cutting off the ring sending combinations down range. Wilder at one point responded to Ortiz two punch set with a vintage beating of his chest in reference to Ortiz alias fictional beast “King Kong.” Wilder ring generalship began to shine as he slowly breached Ortiz line of defense. An active strategy was begin to maturate and Ortiz began to slow from dedicated right hooks to the body. Though active in the early rounds, Wilder was never out of the fight. It was almost as if he was assessing, calibrating and adjusting windage to unload his weapon of mass destruction. Nearing the closure of the sixth round, Ortiz was clearly the ahead on the cards (59-55, 59-55, 58-56)  , the more active boxer who pressed his fight strategy from the opening – but as we know facing a Wilder all he need is a pulse, a heartbeat to deliver a right hand gavel for an adjourn benediction to close out the night.

Kenny Bayless, the assigned referee for the affair called an opening to the 7th-round. Wilder remain poised measuring Ortiz, keeping the crowd postured on the edge, sporadic side bars predicting the when the right-hand will crash the Vegas party. Then it happened. Ortiz let off a combination, Wilder showed a pawing touch jab with his rangy left-hand. On the third repetition he fired off a bluff left jab, pulled a reaction from Ortiz and sent a piston right-cross incinerator strait through the middle of a green light intersection for a head-on collision with a Cuban vanguard. Ortiz knees buckled as he settle to his back for a referee count. Bayless enacted 5, 6, 7, 8, then Ortiz arose to his feet as he was waved off the fight. His valiant effort didn’t satisfy the visual assessment for a healthy competence to continue, especially in the kill zone of a certified finisher in Wilder.

Though it was considered a one-sided contest up to the point of closure, it didn’t disappoint. Crowd reaction was frenetic, it wasn’t like we never witness a Wilder knock out but each impact emits a cause-in-effect like no other.

Wilder post fight had this to say –

“You can see why no other heavyweight wants to fight Ortiz,” Wilder said. “He’s very crafty in the ring and he moves strategically. I had to play around with him and measure him in certain places. I had to go back and go forward. My intellect is very high although I don’t get credit for it. I finally found my measurement and I took the shot and I hurt him.”

Ortiz post fight comments –

“My only gripe is,” Ortiz said during the post-fight press conference, “obviously I really feel that being a championship fight, it’s a grudge match and the ref probably could’ve just let it go on. There was eight seconds left, seven seconds left. Let’s see what happens. [I could] recover in the corner. You know, give me the benefit of the doubt. It is what it is now, but I’m very upset that didn’t happen because I’m a fighter. I wanna fight. You know?”