“In the end, my intellect won out,” said Luis Ortiz (33-2, 28 KOs) after a hard but victorious battle with Charles Martin (28-3-1, 25 KOs). Before the saving left hook in the sixth round, the Cuban favorite was losing the fight on points.
After five rounds, referee Toby Tamarkin counted 46-47, and Daniel Fitzgerald and Michael Tate 45-48 - all in favor of ex-world champion Martin. King Kong, however, turned the tide with one punch and became the IBF mandatory challenger for rematch winner Alexander Usyk (19-0, 13 KOs) - Anthony Joshua (24-2, 22 KOs).
“I was not worried about the outcome of the battle for a minute. The coach advised me to start every action with my right hand and try to box that way. Fighting between two lefties is always difficult and uncomfortable. In the end, I won with my intellect. I promised the audience would get a spectacle, and I was right. At first he knocked me down, but then I finished the fight ahead of schedule,” said the two-time WBC title contender.
“Now I'm ready to fight anyone with a belt. I am ready for anything, be it Usyk, Joshua or Fury. The first two will have a rematch, but as far as I know, Fury still has no rival. So I can box with Fury,” added the almost 43-year-old Ortiz.
