Wilder vs Ortiz II: A Needless Risk For Wilder Or A Need To Get Closure?

Boxing247.com

WBC heavyweight king Deontay Wilder has said that all his “controversial fights need to get sorted ASAP.” And to that effect, Wilder has announced on social media how he has signed to fight Luis Ortiz in a rematch. Ortiz has also signed, reports Wilder, with the date and the venue of the sequel to be announced in due course.

It might be that Wilder, who was badly stung during a torrid seventh round with the Cuban lefty last year, was also stung by the criticism he received in some quarters for having had such a tough time of things with Ortiz. And it might be that Wilder badly wants to take Ortiz out in style in the return. But is Wilder taking an unnecessary risk?

Sure, Ortiz is, according to some, older than George Foreman’s trunks – the ones he wore at the 1968 Olympics – but he can whack, he fights the wrong way round and he has a ton of experience. And Ortiz has been crying for a second shot at Wilder since being stopped in that 10th round almost two years ago. Both men want this fight, yet only one guy needs it, and that’s Wilder.

If he loses, fans may well lose out on a Wilder-Joshua mega fight as well as a Wilder-Fury II (a rematch of far more importance than Wilder-Ortiz II). Then again, as hard as Wilder is punching (remember, some people felt Dominic Breazeale would stick around a while and possibly trouble Wilder) and as lethal as he has been in his one and only rematch (his quick destruction of Bermane Stiverne, who had previously held the distinction of going all 12 rounds with the Bronze Bomber), maybe there is no cause for alarm.

Wilder has to be the pick to beat Ortiz again – and yet another quick KO win cannot be at all ruled out – but fans will be tuning in to see whether or not there are any speed bumps along the way this time.

Ask yourself this: which fight are you most looking forward to, Wilder’s return rumble with Ortiz, or this Saturday night’s Joshua-Andy Ruiz fight?