By Elisinio Castillo
Jay Jimenez, manager of heavyweight contender Luis Ortiz (28-0, 24 KOs), believes there could be a huge celebration for Cuba on March 3rd.
There are two major events taking place in New York City on that day.
At the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, Ortiz is expected to challenge WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder on (39-0, 38 KOs) in a Showtime televised main event. And at the Theater in Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, Cuba's Sullivan Barrera will challenges Dmitry Bivol for the WBA light heavyweight title in an HBO televised fight.
If Ortiz and Barrera upset the odds on the same day, there would be two world champions crowned for Cuba.
Both Cuban fighters are very live dogs and could very well win their fights.
"It's going to be a special day, with a lot of Cuban celebration," said Jimenez to George Ebro. "Sullivan and Luis can become world champions just only minutes apart. It will be a special night for Cuba."
After a couple of weeks ago, Wilder came to Miami for a face-off later that evening with Ortiz, who knocked out Daniel Martz in the second round. Afterwards, the two of them faced-off and traded heated words on live television.
The two of them were scheduled to fight last month at Barclays. But Ortiz failed a pre-fight drug test and he was removed from the contest.
Ortiz was replaced in the bout by Bermane Stiverne, who Wilder destroyed in the first round with three rapid knockdowns.
The World Boxing Council has since cleared Ortiz of any wrongdoing after determining that his prescribed medication for his high blood pressure was the cause for the drug test failure.
Jimenez believes Wilder was always reluctant to face his boxer, because of the punching power possessed by Ortiz - better known by nickname of King Kong.
"It's not the same as a train crashing against a stationary car, it's two trains lashing out with one against the other. That's what Wilder fears, dealing with power against a beast like Luis," Jimenez said.