Those who don?t know better will sing Ortiz?s praises, between humming verses devoted to Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder?
Saturday night at the DC Armory in Washington, DC, in a stay-busy fight televised live on HBO Boxing After Dark, interim WBA World heavyweight champion Luis ?The Real King Kong? Ortiz (25-0, 22 KOs), the undefeated knockout artist from Miami by way of Camaguey, Cuba, KO?d veteran Tony Thompson (40-7, 27 KOs), hailing from the nation?s capital, at 2:29 of round six.
Fighting out of the red corner in red, white and blue trunks, Ortiz was effective if not spectacular in chopping down his 44-year-old opponent, who took the fight on five weeks notice when nobody else would.
Thompson, fighting out of the blue corner in black trunks trimmed in silver, used his experience to extend Ortiz. He also nailed Ortiz several times. But when the end came it came as no surprise and not a moment too soon.
Ortiz dropped Thompson in rounds one, three and six. Tony the Tiger is a tricky customer, but he came in weighing 263? lbs. and his soft midsection should have been an inviting target. But Ortiz was headhunting and rarely threw a body shot, let alone a jab, hook, uppercut or combination, in what was a plodding, unsatisfying, one-dimensional performance.
Those who don?t know better, or if they know better are keeping it to themselves, will sing Ortiz?s praises, between humming verses devoted to Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder. He was effective, in a manner of speaking, but King Kong?s performance fell short of being monstrous. His lack of urgency was particularly troubling. He might have been fighting down to his opponent?s level. It?s also possible that Ortiz is not as great as the win over Bryant Jennings suggests.
Ortiz has power, which is perhaps all he needs to compete and win against so-so opposition. I was sold on Ortiz based on his last fight, but now I?m not so sure. Listening to Max Kellerman and company laud Ortiz one might think he?s the second coming of George Foreman. The second coming of Big George might be coming, in one parallel universe or another, but I have serious doubts, based on tonight?s performance, that it will be coming from Luis Ortiz.
