The fight is a done deal.
BoxingScene.com has been advised that a press conference has been scheduled for Wednesday in New York City, to officially announce the November 4th showdown between WBC world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (38-0, 37 KOs) and undefeated contender Luis Ortiz (27-0, 23 KOs). Both fighters, promoter Lou DiBella and Showtime Sports head Stephen Espinoza will be present at the press conference.
The fight has been set down for November 4th, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Showtime will televise the contest.
Wilder and his handlers were able to overcome the biggest hurdle - a mandatory defense to Bermane Stiverne (25-2-1, 21 KOs). Back on February 26th, the World Boxing Council ordered the Wilder-Stiverne rematch. Stiverne has been out of the ring since a November 2015 decision win over Derric Rossey.
A deal was reached where Stiverne likely received some step-aside funds and will also face Dominic Breazeale (18-1, 16 KOs) as part of the Wilder-Ortiz card. Stiverne vs. Breazeale will be part of the Showtime Extreme telecast.
As BoxingScene reported last week, the Wilder-Ortiz card is being put together as a Showtime tripleheader.
Showtime’s telecast also is expected to feature former middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs and junior welterweight contender Sergey Lipinets in separate bouts. Opponents haven’t been finalized for Jacobs or Lipinets, but Lipinets will fight an undetermined opponent for the vacant IBF super lightweight championship.
Brooklyn’s Jacobs (32-2, 29 KOs) will fight for the first time since losing a close, 12-round unanimous decision to middleweight knockout artist Gennady Golovkin (37-0, 33 KOs) in their 160-pound title fight March 18 at Madison Square Garden.
Kazakhstan’s Lipinets (12-0, 10 KOs), the IBF’s mandatory challenger at 140 pounds, will fight for the title Terence Crawford (32-0, 23 KOs) gave up after winning it by knocking out Namibia’s Julius Indongo (22-1, 11 KOs) in the third round of their championship unification fight August 19 in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Wilder has been out of the ring since a four round stoppage of undefeated Gerald Washington back in February, while Ortiz has been away from the squared circle since last December's stoppage win over David Allen.
2023-10-19 14:20:12
