Deontay Wilder has spoken fondly of two-time opponent Luis Ortiz, saying he has a bond with the Cuban unlike any of his other opponents.
In an interview with FightHype.com, when asked about Ortiz, Wilder said he was proud to have been able to give him the opportunity to fight him twice.
“Me and Ortiz we just built a bond.”
“I love being able to put another fighter in a position to support their family”
Wilder elaborated on the connection he had with Ortiz, saying he believed there were a number of parallels between the now 43-year-old’s situation and his own.
Ortiz’ daughter, Lismercedes, suffers from a skin condition called epidermolysis bullosa – a fact that resonated with Wilder, who initially started boxing to provide for his daughter Naieya who was born with spina bifida.
“It was a special situation with Ortiz because I looked at a man who was looking to provide for his family – specifically for his daughter, which I can relate to.”
I see another man who defected from his country, just for his family and his daughter, to try and make a better life for them – and no one wanted to give him an opportunity.”
Ortiz gave Wilder plenty of trouble in both of their meetings – and was seemingly on the brink of stopping ‘The Bronze Bomber’ at one point in their first fight. However both fights ended with Wilder knocking out the veteran.
After two consecutive defeats to Tyson Fury, Wilder is on the comeback trail. He faces Finland’s Robert Helenius on October 15th, with a mega fight with Andy Ruiz seemingly in the offing next year should he prevail that night.