Eddie Hearn Wants Luis Ortiz To Fight Jarrell Miller Next

By Keith Idec

NEW YORK – Promoter Eddie Hearn pitched Luis Ortiz’s next fight to Showtime’s Stephen Espinoza on Thursday.

England’s Hearn, group managing director for Matchroom Sport, wants the powerful Cuban southpaw to battle Jarrell Miller sometime in March or April.

“I put it out there to Stephen Espinoza about 10 minutes ago,” Hearn said Thursday. “I said, ‘What do you think?’ He said, ‘I love it.’ So maybe I’ll speak to those guys [Miller’s handlers].”

Hearn came to Manhattan to support another fighter his company promotes, London’s James DeGale (23-1, 14 KOs). DeGale participated in a press conference for his super middleweight championship unification fight against Badou Jack (20-1-2, 12 KOs) on Saturday night at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center (Showtime).

Meanwhile, Hearn hopes to solidify a television partner for other fights during his stay, including Ortiz (27-0, 23 KOs, 1 NC) against Miller (18-0-1, 16 KOs).

Ortiz’s last fight was not broadcast on American television. The former interim WBA heavyweight champion beat England’s David Allen (9-2-1, 6 KOs) by seventh-round technical knockout in a tune-up fight, which was part of the Anthony Joshua-Eric Molina undercard December 10 in Manchester, England.

The 37-year-old Ortiz’s previous fight, a relatively dull unanimous-decision win against Malik Scott (38-3-1, 13 KOs), was broadcast by HBO on November 12 from Monte Carlo.

“The Malik Scott fight was disappointing,” Hearn said. “He looked decent the last time out [against Allen]. He’s boxed twice in 10 or 11 weeks. And now they’re on me every day, ‘When’s the next fight? When’s the next fight?’ Probably March or April.

“I’d like to make Luis Ortiz against Jarrell Miller. I think that’s a really good fight. I like Jarrell Miller. I think he’s good fun. I think he can punch. I think he’s a good fighter. And I think him against Luis Ortiz is a great fight, and I’d like to make that fight.”

Miller, 28, is ranked No. 8 by the WBA, yet also is a potential opponent for newly crowned WBO champion Joseph Parker (22-0, 18 KOs). The Brooklyn native is ranked No. 4 by the WBO.

Oritz is ranked No. 1 by the WBA.

Keith Idec is a senior writer/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He can be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.