Deontay Wilder needs to up his game to beat Luis Ortiz and send warning out to Anthony Joshua, says Johnny Nelson
Tuesday 19 September 2017 11:26, UK
Deontay Wilder will defend his WBC heavyweight title against Luis Ortiz in New York in October and Johnny Nelson thinks it is a risk, but a risk the 'Bronze Bomber' needs to take...
Deontay Wilder has gone up in my estimation massively, agreeing to fight Luis Ortiz.
He needed a fight that gave him recognition and respect, and this is exactly that.
Wilder needs to take a superstar risk and this will give him huge kudos.
Everybody in the heavyweight division has avoided Ortiz like the plague, simply because they don't need him. The guy can punch, he can bang and he is dangerous.
For Wilder to take him, you've got to rate him. Ortiz is dangerous, regardless of what we saw from him against Malik Scott in Monte Carlo. The 'Bronze Bomber' really needs a defining fight.
I think he has leveled off since winning the WBC title from Bermane Stiverne. People forget this will be his sixth defense but every time I've seen him, he seems to be playing safe.
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I get that mentality but he needs to up his game against Ortiz, if he wants to become a real superstar. Boxing stars stay safe, boxing superstars take chances. I am sure Wilder realised that when he was ringside for Anthony Joshua taking on Wladimir Klitschko.
Wilder needs to take a superstar risk and this will give him huge kudos.
When we saw Ortiz in Monte Carlo he came across as lazy and didn't match anyone's expectations. He was nothing like the top Cuban we were told and all of a sudden, I didn't see any reason for Joshua to fight him.
But maybe Ortiz's performance was so bad because he was up against Malik Scott and didn't up his game at all. But he is still dangerous and I can see Wilder finally just going gung-ho, going out there and sending a warning out to Joshua.
As it stands Ortiz is still the biggest threat to 'AJ' and Wilder looks beatable, but he has a great chance to change all that.
Watch Luke Campbell challenge Jorge Linares for the WBA lightweight title on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports from 2am on Sunday.
