Luis Ortiz: I'll Stop Joshua in 8, Klitschko Let Him Off The Hook!

[Ruthless-RKO]

After watching Joshua hit the canvas, Ortiz is even more confident that he will stop the 2012 Olympic gold medalist.

"I feel more than ever that I will KO Joshua within 8 rounds - but I also feel that after Klitschko dropped Joshua with one punch that Eddie Hearn will never let Joshua get in the ring with me. To me Klitschko let him off the hook. I wouldn't have. I would have had him out of there in that 6th round," said Ortiz to BS.com.

"Look, it's simple. Eddie will protect his cash cow. You heard it yourself, how Joshua didn't mention my name knowing I'm next for him but he called out [Tyson] Fury after fight. I saw weakness. I saw a fighter that can be dropped with one punch. I even say he got lucky they stopped the fight because he wasn't even landing a punch when it got stopped. If they wouldn't have stopped it he was gassed out again - plain and simple."

The Cuban southpaw hopes to face Joshua in the fall and hopes that the Brit honors his mandatory status. Ortiz said that regardless of what Joshua does he expects to fight for the WBA title before the year is over.

"I congratulate the young man for courage but I'm next and that is that. Look, my team let that fight happen because the WBA and Eddie Hearn asked us for a favor and because Klitschko didn't want to fight me but I'm done being pushed back. It's my time and I want my WBA belt so yeah I'm calling Joshua out. If he likes he can just give up the belt but if not then October or November sounds good to me so it's your move boy. To be the best you have to fight the best," Ortiz told BS.com.

http://www.BS.com/luis-ortiz-i ... 6CyS3.dpuf

[PsychoGamerTwo]

I feel like a healthy Haye or Ortiz would do the job. Joshua got alright recovery skills, but damn... he powers out real fast.

[asdfjkl]

Nah, Ortiz simply never met such powers, in fact, not even close, who's the strongest guy Ortiz ever met in the ring? Thompson?

I do think Joshua should fight Ortiz next somehow, and Povetkin after that.

[victor-romeo]

It's possible , styles make fights, Ortiz seems to have problems with people who move, Joshua doesn't seem like a real runner so maybe he would be withing Ortiz wheel house, definitely a dangerous fight for Joshua.

[ElJefe]

I was looking forward to seeing Ortiz in with the top heavyweights but his last 2 performances have all but killed any interest I had in him. Going 12 with Malik Scott and taking 7 to get rid of Dave Allen is hardly the sort of thing to get people excited for a Joshua fight.

[asdfjkl]

I was looking forward to seeing Ortiz in with the top heavyweights but his last 2 performances have all but killed any interest I had in him. Going 12 with Malik Scott and taking 7 to get rid of Dave Allen is hardly the sort of thing to get people excited for a Joshua fight.

Dave Allen has never been KOed somehow, Scott simply run around like a chicken this time, similar like Daffy Duck did against Klitschko.

[ElJefe]

I was looking forward to seeing Ortiz in with the top heavyweights but his last 2 performances have all but killed any interest I had in him. Going 12 with Malik Scott and taking 7 to get rid of Dave Allen is hardly the sort of thing to get people excited for a Joshua fight.

Dave Allen has never been KOed somehow, Scott simply run around like a chicken this time, similar like Daffy Duck did against Klitschko.

I know, but if Ortiz is the killer that 1) some people believe he is and 2) he wants us to think he is, then he should be doing better against that level of opponent regardless of how they fight. It's difficult to have sympathy for him when he complains about being avoided when he stinks the gaff out like he did against Scott and nearly goes the distance against a guy whose best wins are Jason Gavern and David Howe.

[Ricky_]

Wlad isn't a shot fighter but he doesn't have killer instinct to finish the job. Much like Pacquiao who couldn't finish guys like Algieri.

Ortiz though... his last 2 fights looked bad. He might be shot.

[Ilya Muromets]

""I feel more than ever that I will KO Joshua within 8 rounds - but I also feel that after Klitschko dropped Joshua with one punch that Eddie Hearn will never let Joshua get in the ring with me. To me Klitschko let him off the hook. I wouldn't have. I would have had him out of there in that 6th round," said Ortiz to BS.com."



Absolutely right. Wlad had him dead on his feet in round six and on queer street for the following rounds. Joshua would never have seen the seventh round against a younger Wlad.

[Jip]

Ortiz true on some points. For me aj the best hw. But ortiz is dangerous. The combination of power and well rounded technique is always a danger for any body.

Joshua-ortiz is the fight to be made. A well prepared ortiz can upset aj. O has experience technique over aj.

[Kalan]

LO could be right when he says, "Eddie Hearn will never let him fight me." ... So what about a Klitschko rematch??? That fight was an ATG!! Lets get it on again!! ... AJ can beat all the other Heavyweights in the world but Ortiz.. You understand he only has 19 fights and a very short amateur career. See if you can get exceptions from the orgs so you can fight Wilder and Parker first. Nobody is dying for Joshua to fight Oritz right now. Ortiz should fight Wilder or Parker next.. I would work something out with Ortiz to fight him for certain in a year.. I don't hear fans demanding and screaming for Joshua-Ortiz.. It's not the biggest fight in the world. Not as big as Joshua-Wilder. Ortiz was the mandatory challenger for Wilder and they got him dumped somehow.

Look at it this way... If Joshua fights Wilder and Parker he will have 21 fights and the skills to deal with a more mature Ortiz... That's only fair.

[Ilya Muromets]

"AJ can beat all the other Heavyweights in the world ..."


I think Povetkin would go right at him in round one and knock him flat.

[KiwiRider]

I'd love to see AJ fight Ortiz!
It makes sense, because if he wins- automatic #1 contender to Wilder. Probably the only way he gets a chance at that belt.
Ortiz is slippery, maybe getting a little old, but probably the best defensive HW in the top 10.
He would give major problems, that's for sure.
Is it a big money fight? Not really.
Is it a necessary step to unification? I think so.

[Kalan]

"AJ can beat all the other Heavyweights in the world ..."


I think Povetkin would go right at him in round one and knock him flat.

LOL.. YOU think... Povetkin didn't have a chance against the man Joshua just knocked out... He was knocked down 4 times and couldn't win a round.

Povetkin would knock Wilder out... That's a better style for him.

[Badhusker]

"AJ can beat all the other Heavyweights in the world ..."


I think Povetkin would go right at him in round one and knock him flat.

As long as they don't have random PED testing. I'm not sure AJ would pass either, so hold off on the PED testing and these two can fight.

[Ilya Muromets]

"AJ can beat all the other Heavyweights in the world ..."


I think Povetkin would go right at him in round one and knock him flat.

As long as they don't have random PED testing. I'm not sure AJ would pass either, so hold off on the PED testing and these two can fight.

Does "Doctor" Margaret Goodman ever give Joshua one of her special Las Vegas Mafia drug tests - or Wlad too for that matter? Povetkin isn't a doper but plenty of them are - but they are part of the in crowd.

[Oiky]

"AJ can beat all the other Heavyweights in the world ..."


I think Povetkin would go right at him in round one and knock him flat.

I agree

It wouldln't end well for AJ if he mixed it with Povetkin

[Ilya Muromets]

"AJ can beat all the other Heavyweights in the world ..."


I think Povetkin would go right at him in round one and knock him flat.

As long as they don't have random PED testing. I'm not sure AJ would pass either, so hold off on the PED testing and these two can fight.

Does "Doctor" Margaret Goodman ever give Joshua one of her special Las Vegas Mafia drug tests - or Wlad too for that matter? Povetkin isn't a doper but plenty of them are - but they are part of the in crowd.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Ortiz is all talk.

[Mexi-Box]

"AJ can beat all the other Heavyweights in the world ..."


I think Povetkin would go right at him in round one and knock him flat.

LOL.. YOU think... Povetkin didn't have a chance against the man Joshua just knocked out... He was knocked down 4 times and couldn't win a round.

Povetkin would knock Wilder out... That's a better style for him.

Klitschko should've been DQ'd in that fight. It's pretty much what it should've been. Povetkin is also a way better fighter than the one Klitschko beat.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

He's juiced to no end, not better. He's also not getting a shot at any title

[Jip]

Povetkin will always be a good b level boxer.

Couldnt land 1 punch on wlad

Had a very tough time against a cruiserweight

And now someones acts like he could just go inside the ring and ko aj inside 1. Nonsense.

[Ilya Muromets]

Klitschko should've been DQ'd in that fight. It's pretty much what it should've been. Povetkin is also a way better fighter than the one Klitschko beat.

I'm a fan of Wlad but I agree with you. He was like an octopus holding on in that fight with Povetkin. The ref did nothing. Povetkin has indeed greatly improved since then as shown in his recent fights, and Wlad is not the fighter he was then because if he was last night's fight would have ended in round six. Since that fight with Wlad in 2013 Povetkin has won five in a row by KO, all against top level opponents.

[Kalan]

Had Povetkin fought Wilder at that time -- and he was totally free from PED's he never took any -- he would have knocked Wilder cold.

[candyslim]

Ortiz is right to concentrate his verbal challenge against Joshua, because AJ is the only belt-holder with enough guts to face him.

Eddie Hearn doesn't appear overly protective of his cash-cow to me, but after his close war with Klitschko, who could begrudge Joshua an easy one next before the likes of Ortiz, Wilder or Parker ?

I rate Povetkin highly but as skilled as he is, I reckon he would find Joshua's power together with his superior height and reach make it very difficult for him to close the range. At least fighting Joshua would give him less chance of falling foul of a possibly dodgy drug test.

Like I said though, AJ deserves an easy defence next and Povetkin is assuredly not that.