By Ryan Burton
WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder (38-0, 37 KOs) has been relentless since the news broke a few days ago that Luis Ortiz (27-0, 23 KOs) tested positive for a banned substance. The World Boxing Council is currently reviewing the incident to figure out what will happen next.
The two boxers are scheduled to fight on November 4th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York and while a search for a replacement for Ortiz is underway, there still hasn't been an official ruling as to whether Ortiz will be allowed to fight or not.
Ortiz tested positive for two substances that are found in his prescribed medication for high blood pressure. But there are some who claim, including Wilder and members of his team, that the substances in question are used as masking agents for performance enhancing drugs [PEDs].
The 38-year-old Cuban insists that he is a clean fighter and is willing to wager his entire purse that he can pass a hair test for PEDs. Hair tests can typically catch illegal substances for periods up to 90 days, which is longer than blood and urine tests.
"We want Duck Duck Wilder and his corny puppet promoter (Lou DiBella) to put their money where their mouth is or stop slandering my name because they are scared to lose that WBC belt," Ortiz told BoxingScene.com.
"Look, it's easy as 1, 2, 3 - let's bet our purse money for the November 4th bout. Put it on the line. Let's both go to do a VADA testing for hair samples which the world knows that there is no way to cheat. If I come out with any PEDs you keep my purse and if I don't then I keep yours. Let's see if you are just a scared little big mouth or if you believe I'm really taking something. Your bluff is called so put up or shut the f*** up."
Ortiz's manager Jay Jiménez said that it is ironic that Wilder is the one who keeps exploding on social media and in interviews when Ortiz is the one he says is taking banned substances. "Roid Rage" can be a side effect of steroid use.
"It's funny because the only heavyweight who's always raging and mad all the time is Wilder. It makes you think," said Jiménez.
2023-10-19 16:46:58
