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Luis Ortiz could not ask for a better scenario for his next fight.
The still-relevant heavyweight contender has long called for the division’s best fighters, with Deontay Wilder the only one in recent years to answer the challenge and which came during his lengthy WBC title reign. It has resulted in the lone two losses on the record of Ortiz, who remains hopeful of another shot at a major title though more so with the right fights to get him to that point.
For the first time in several years, one such opponent has answered that call for the occasion. Ortiz (32-2, 27KOs) will face former IBF heavyweight titlist Charles Martin (28-2-1, 25KOs), atop an all-heavyweight Fox Sports Pay-Per-View—also distributed through Fite TV, with both platforms offering a suggested retail price of $39.99—airing live on New Year’s Day from Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, barely 30 minutes from Ortiz’s Miami hometown.
“I’m very grateful to God, allowing this opportunity,” Ortiz told BoxingScene.com. “It’s great to fight on New Year’s Day. A new year, a new beginning. It’s like a fresh start to my career. I’m always ready to fight anyone.
“Charles Martin is a valid and credible opponent, even with his past losses including to Anthony Joshua. He was a former world champion and he is coming to beat me to get back there. I am ready to just do my job and return to a title fight.”
The rare matchup of heavyweight southpaws represents the end of lengthy layoffs for both boxers.
Ortiz, 42, has not fought since a 45-second blitzing of Alexander Flores last November, his lone fight since his repeat knockout loss to Wilder in November 2019—a fight where he won every round before being taken out by a single right hand in the seventh-round of a Fox Sports PPV main event from MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
The hope was to return to the ring sometime this summer, for months having stated his case to take on the winner of a May 1 Fox Sports PPV main event between former unified titlist Andy Ruiz and veteran contender Chris Arreola. Ruiz won the fight by decision but never seemed to respond to the callout made by Ortiz, which has become par for the course in the lengthy career of the Cuban southpaw.
“All these guys that are talking, that say my name and claim they want to fight me never seem willing to take that next step. It’s just talk. The others don’t even bother to say my name,” noted Ortiz. “I don’t know why. I’m ready to beat them all one by one. I don’t get it but it is what it is.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox