Luis Ortiz has hinted that he isn’t quite ready to hang up the gloves just yet.
The Cuban heavyweight was dropped three times by former unified global ruler Andy Ruiz Jr. on Sunday.
Ortiz took on the California-based Mexican at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles and was on the wrong end of a 12-round decision.
In defeat, Ortiz slipped to 33-3-0-2 with 28 KOs, but he was adamant in the aftermath that there is still life in the old dog yet.
In his post-fight interview, the 43-year-old southpaw said:
“What do you want? Do you think I’m done? You saw a warrior.”
Ortiz was a star amateur who won a silver medal at the 2005 World Cup in Moscow, Russia at heavyweight.
He continued:
“What do the people want? Do they think ‘King Kong’ is done?
“People say that I am old, but I gave you a war. In boxing, there is always a surprise and I felt that I boxed well.”
The defiance from Ortiz was meant with cheers from the crowd.
During the fight Ortiz suffered an injury to his left eye, but he has called on Ruiz Jr. for a rematch, despite being on the wrong end of scores of 114-111, 114-111 and 113-112 from the three ringside judges as Ruiz Jr. moved closer to another world title opportunity.
Deontay Wilder, the former WBC champion who is a former foe of Ortiz, was called out by Ruiz Jr. after his victory.
He told Fox Sports:
“I’m ready, man. I’m hungry. I want to be champion again and bring that belt back to Mexico!
“If Deontay wins in October, me and him are with the same management and we can make this fight happen.”
Wilder returns to the ring on October 15 at the Barclays Center in New York, snapping a hiatus of over 12 months since his second defeat at the hands of the current WBC champion Tyson Fury, when he takes on Finland’s Robert Helenius.
And Ruiz is keen for a showdown with the 36-year-old from Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
”Let’s get it on. I’m hungry and I want to be champion again and bring that belt back to Mexico.”