Cuban heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz is looking past his next opponent, Andy Ruiz Jr, and wants to face former heavyweight world champion Deontay Wilder once again.
In an interview with FightHype, when Ortiz was told that Deontay Wilder wants to fight him in a trilogy match should he emerge successful against Ruiz, he replied:
“First of all, that makes me very happy that he [Wilder] said that.
I think that if he said that, it’s true. The trilogy should happen. He’s the only one that didn’t make excuses to fight me.
I consider him a friend. Then again, inside the ring, we’re enemies. No friends anymore.
I’ll be looking forward to that fight if it happens.”
Ortiz has fought Wilder twice for the heavyweight championship, getting knocked out both times.
To have any chance of facing Wilder for a third time, Ortiz must first of all get past another former heavyweight champion in Andy Ruiz Jr on September 4. The Cuban isn’t expecting the fight to go the distance, insisting it can only end with a knockout:
“Andy’s speed doesn’t bother me in the least. I feel that I have the tools needed in order to counter that speed.
Look, this fight is going to end in a knockout regardless because the judges are going to have nothing to do with it.
There’s pressure on both sides with Andy and I. Both of us are going to try and go for that KO.”
The winner could go on to face whoever emerges victorious between Wilder and Finnish heavyweight Robert Helenius, who are set to meet each other on October 15.