By Elisinio Castillo
As BoxingScene.com first reported WBA interim-heavyweight champion Luis Ortiz (23-0, 20 KO) will face Bryant Jennings (19-1, 10KOs) on December 19th from the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in New York.
The fight was first discussed for the Gennady Golovkin-David Lemieux undercard last Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City. After no agreement was reached, Ortiz faced Matias Vidondo of Argentina and stopped him in three rounds.
"As soon as Luis left the ring on Saturday, the people at HBO began to rave about him,'' said his manager Jay Jimenez to George Ebro. "The television network was in love with him, and so were thousands of fans at Madison Square Garden."
Jennings has never been stopped and his only defeat was on April 25th, when he lost a twelve round decision to heavyweight king Wladimir Klitschko.
If Ortiz is able to stop someone like Jennings, the accomplishment would send a big message to the heavyweight division.
His promoter, Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions, says WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder would never fight Ortiz, because the Cuban boxer would end him in one shot.
"Ortiz will give problems to any heavyweight. We know that Deontay Wilder will never want to fight him. If Ortiz hits him, then [Wilder] is not getting back up. If Ortiz demolishes Jennings, which Klitschko could not do, then [Klitschko] will have a true contender on his hands," De La Hoya said.