I don?t often agree with Deontay Wilder about much of anything, but this one time I?ll make an exception?
Friday night at Hialeah Park in Miami, Florida, Luis ?King Kong? Ortiz (28-0, 24 KOs), the unbeaten heavyweight contender from Miami, Florida, by way of Camaguas, Cuba, flattened Daniel Martz (16-6-1, 13 KOs), the sacrificial lamb from Clarksburg, West Virginia, 43 seconds into the second round.
The 6-foot-7-inch Martz seemed to tower over 6-foot-4-inch Ortiz, but the bigger they are the harder they fall and Martz reaffirmed that old adage.
Ortiz hadn?t fought in over a year?and Martz was on the receiving end of his frustration. Ortiz put him down in round one. A short left to the head followed by a three-punch combination to the body dropped Martz to his knees with 40 seconds left in the round one. It looked like he was praying. But Martz didn?t have a prayer. And the round wasn?t over. He made it to his feet at the count of six. The ref wiped his gloves. Ortiz smelled blood and went on the attack.
Martz moves well for a big man. He?s no world-beater, but he?s no bum. He lost fights to Jennings Bryant and Joseph Parker, respectable losses to respectable fighters. But he knows enough about boxing to avoid Ortiz?s lunges to make it through the round.
The bell rang to start the second and Ortiz got to work. Forty-three seconds into the round, just as WBC champ Deontay Wilder, who was calling the fight for FS1, said it was ?target practice,? Ortiz caught Martz with a counter left to the chin and down he went.
The ref didn?t count. It was as over as it was meant to be. Ortiz stepped on Martz?s shoulder on his way to confront Wilder, who never met a confrontation he didn?t like.
?Here?s here,? said Ortiz when Wilder climbed into the ring. ?I wanna fight you.?
?You wanna fight me?? said Wilder. ?When you wanna fight me??
?When? Tomorrow.?
?When are you ready??
?I?m ready,? Ortiz said. ?I?m ready for you.?
?Stay by your phone, Luis Ortiz. I?m coming for you. Be ready. I don?t want no excuses.?
When asked about King Kong?s fight against The Mountain, Wilder was dismissive.
?He was designed to get knocked out. I don?t know what took him so long.?
I don?t often agree with Deontay Wilder about much of anything, but this one time I?ll make an exception.
