Herman Caicedo of Caicedo Sports Training Center in Miami, Florida is adamant Deontay Wilder is trying to avoid Luis Ortiz and using his 2014 failed positive test against him. Ortiz recently offered to step in and replace Andrzej Wawrzyk for Wilder’s upcoming February 25 defense of the WBC title, only for the champion to choose Gerald Washington for his hometown return in Alabama.
Wawrzyk had himself given a suspect sample to the WBC Clean Boxing Program and Caicedo believes the ‘Bronze Bomber’ took the easier option in facing Washington over Ortiz.
"Since failing his test years ago, Luis has been tested over a dozen times, voluntarily and mandatorily in fights,” said Caicedo. “He has made it very clear that he never wants that to happen again and I wouldn't work with a fighter I even suspected wasn't clean. There's too much involved in how I train fighters. We all put a lot of blood sweat and tears into training for a failed drug test to derail the entire process. I do my own drug panels and steroid checks before I take fighters. And those that do not wish to willingly participate, I will not train.
"I am very confident about the outcome if Ortiz and Wilder ever do fight," he continued. "Ortiz will knock him out within 10 rounds. Luis has a level to his approach that I haven't seen in quite some time. He is a throwback, old-school heavyweight boxer. He has incredible poise, precision, and ring generalship. He's accurate with this punches and defensively very sound. If they ever do fight, Wilder will be exposed. But, he will probably retire a legend in his own mind without ever fighting anybody," added Caicedo.
A WBC eliminator was also in the pipeline for Ortiz, although mandatory challenger Bermane Stiverne moved to rule out fighting the Cuban in his next contest.
