Home Boxing News Trainer says Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are avoiding Luis Ortiz

Trainer says Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua are avoiding Luis Ortiz

Luis Ortiz. Photo credit: Premier Boxing Champions

At 44 years old, former two-time heavyweight title challenger Luis ‘King Kong’ Ortiz 33-3 (28) is not done yet.

The crafty Cuban southpaw fought twice last year, climbing off the canvas to claim the scalp of former IBF champion Charles Martin 29-4-1 (26) in six rounds in January before dropping a close unanimous decision to former WBA, WBO and IBF champion Andy Ruiz Jr 35-2 (22) in September.

Despite not having a fight lined up, Ortiz remains in the gym ticking over under the watchful eye of his trainer Germán Caicedo as they await their next assignment.

“He is training every day. We have different routines. Since there is nothing on the horizon he is working on his physical condition. Not as much boxing, but he does come to the gym three times a week. Nobody talks about him,” Caicedo told George Ebro.

It’s a frustrating position for Team Ortiz, who believe their boxer is simply too dangerous for the big names to face.

Caicedo says Ortiz would make the perfect foil for WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury 33-0-1 (24) or former unified heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua 26-3 (23), but neither of they has reached out to make a fight.

“I see fighters who say, ‘I’m tired of waiting for this one, I can’t find an opponent’,” Caicedo continued. “Like Tyson Fury who is going to face Francis Ngannou. He didn’t call Luis. The same with Joshua, he has no opponent. He hasn’t called Luis either.

“They don’t call him. They want to erase him from the map. They want him to disappear so that he no longer bothers them. Since he debuted on the scene they have avoided him.

“Those who do call are the guys who are 10 and 0 with 10 knockouts, offering $100,000 to fight… guys who need it a lot more [than us] so they can say that they fought with Luis whether they win or lose. But that’s not worth it at the stage where he is at right now.

“Fury and Joshua say that they only want to fight for money. Okay, Luis is the same, but the difference is that Luis likes boxing.”

Caicedo admits that Ortiz has changed as a boxer over the years, but insists he is still a dangerous proposition for anyone in the open weight bracket.

“The punch is the last thing to go,” Caicedo said. “His abilities from the age of 30 when I met him up until now have been adjusting, knowing that he can no longer do some of the things that he used to do. He does do them, but not constantly.

“Luis is 44 years old, but he looks like he’s 33. He still pushes, beats people on the track. When you see that it makes you angry, because today’s heavyweights are cowards.”