3 pressing questions ahead of Deontay Wilder vs. Luis Ortiz II

As the heavyweight division prepares for a furious finish to wrap up the year, Deontay Wilder will find himself across the ring against a dangerous yet familiar foe in Luis Ortiz. Though Wilder remains a significant favorite to repeat his 2018 win, there are plenty of subplots and nuances this time around, and bettors should watch out for what might come next.

Wilder vs. Ortiz II odds

Does Deontay Wilder finish faster this time?

Though Ortiz gave Wilder a scare in their first bout, Wilder weathered the storm and stayed in the fight long enough to deliver a crushing knockout in the 10th.

Now knowing full well what Ortiz brings to the table, as well as Ortiz’s ho-hum appearances since, there’s a good chance Wilder can make another statement by quickly stopping the best heavyweight in the division without a title. There isn’t much for Wilder to gain here, outside of showing that evolution and stopping Ortiz before he has a chance to make things interesting again, and because of his familiarity with Ortiz’s style, that is within the realm of possibility. An overly aggressive approach can do more harm than good with Ortiz’s ability to counter, but expect Wilder to come out the gates with urgency and bad intentions.

Are we any closer to a Tyson Fury rematch?

There are two big-money fights that await Wilder should he conquer Ortiz again, both of which can (sadly) influence how the fight gets scored. Both Wilder and Tyson Fury have expressed their desire to stage a rematch of their disputed draw next year, but with Fury’s existing contract with Top Rank and rumors of a continued campaign in the WWE, it is more likely that Wilder faces Andy Ruiz should he defeat Anthony Joshua in December.

Though it isn’t out of the ordinary that judges will be more receptive to Wilder’s work than Ortiz, recent rumblings suggest Fury might be facing controversial heavyweight Jarrell Miller in the near future, and a Wilder rematch is a pipe dream unless Wilder signs with Top Rank.

Will we have an undisputed heavyweight champion crowned in 2020?

While Wilder-Ortiz II is for one title, Ruiz-Joshua II is for three. A Wilder-Ruiz fight is far easier to make than a Wilder-Joshua bout, and Ortiz is not going to shy away from potential career-high paydays with either man if he scores the upset, but the division will be no closer to crowning its first undisputed champion since Lennox Lewis. Contrary to popular belief, Polish clubber Adam Kownacki is next for Wilder, should Fury fall through, and the winner of Ruiz-Joshua II has the unfortunate task of facing Oleksandr Usyk as a mandatory once their affairs have been settled. Unless Wilder and Ruiz remain champions through a series of worthy challengers in 2020, the heavyweight title will remain splintered among the ranks.

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