by Jake Donovan
Luis Ortiz is still awaiting word on an official date for his rematch with Deontay Wilder.
Meanwhile, there remains a far more important fight in his future and everyday life.
The top-rated heavyweight contender will be the guest of honor at a meet-and-greet Wednesday evening in Hollywood, Fla., less than an hour from his Miami hometown. The event—which takes place at Toyota of Hollywood courtesy of company CEO and longtime Ortiz friend Craig Zinn—will double as a fundraiser to raise awareness and support for locally-based Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital.
Among its patients is Ortiz’s pre-teen daughter, Lismercedes who suffers from epidermolysis bullosa, a rare skin disease that causes blistering and burns from the slightest of contact.
“I know that a lot of fathers are going through what I go through, with their children suffering and we just want to do everything in our power to save them,” Miami’s Ortiz (31-1, 26KOs; 2NC) told BoxingScene.com. “Thankfully, we are surrounded by such a loving community to let us know we are not alone in this fight.
“We were so grateful when (Zinn) approached us about the idea for a meet and greet. It gives me another chance to connect with all of my fans, as I love to do every day, and also rally together for such a terrific cause. For me, of course, it’s very personal.”
Whatever disdain existed between Ortiz and Wilder (41-0-1, 40KOs) prior to their first fight last March became secondary to the bond they share. Wilder’s tale of how he turned to boxing is well-documented, having dropped everything in order to provide for his ailing oldest daughter, Naieya who was born with spina bifida, a condition that occurs when the spine and spinal cord never form properly.
Naieya ultimately beat the odds, undergoing multiple surgeries in proving medical experts wrong over whether she would ever walk. For all he went through since her birth in 2005, Wilder sympathized with Ortiz’s own battles throughout the promotion prior to fight night.
Wilder prevailed by 10th round knockout in one of the best fights of 2018. The unbeaten long-reigning heavyweight titlist announced in late May his intentions to give Ortiz a second crack at his crown. A targeted date of November 9 has been floated, with the sequel to land either at Staples Center in Los Angeles (Calif.) or at an available venue in Las Vegas (Nev.).
Until then, Ortiz will continue to fight the good fight in honor of Lismercedes, who remains determined every day to win her own battle.
The meet-and-greet will be held Wednesday evening from 6:30pm-8:30pm local (Eastern standard) time. The address is 1841 North State Road (US-441), Hollywood, Fla.
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
