Greg Leon: What's the latest and greatest brother? Congrats on getting this rematch with Deontay Wilder. When will the fight take place? Luis Ortiz: "I'm just really looking forward to this rematch with Deontay Wilder. Everybody knows it's signed, it's locked in, it's done. I've been waiting a while for this rematch and it's something I've been craving since my first fight. I'm just very happy to be getting te opportunity to fix what went wrong last time and walk away with that belt." GL: The first fight was a war, this is going to be another rough fight, but that's in the ring. Even before the first fight you and Wilder seemed to have a great deal of mutual respect for each other outside of the ring. Where does that come from? Luis Ortiz: "Obviously you respect all men who get in the ring, but especially a man who you've already went to war with. I've got a lot of respect for him because he was the first fighter who ever agreed to fight me. Not Joshua, not Fury, nobody would fight me and he's giving me that opportunity again. How can you not respect that? But he's doing this because he knows there was some controversy to that first fight. The referee took twenty seconds in between rounds when he was out on his feet and now he's doing this to put an end to any controversy. We also both have kids with certain disabilities and you always respect a man who is a good father and does right by his kids."

 

GL: Were you surprised at all that Wilder chose to fight you again? He could have just stayed warm against lesser opposition until a Fury rematch materialized, but instead he's chosen to fight you again. 

 

LO: "Not at all. Do you see that guy Fury just fought? (Tom Schwarz) wouldn't have went two rounds with Dominic Breazeale, so that should tell you where he's at. You've got to be impressed with Wilder for what he's doing in choosing to fight the best. I respect him, but come the night of that rematch that goes away and I'm going to knock him out. Then we're going to have a trilogy and I'm going to knock him out in that one too."

 

GL: When will the rematch take place?

 

LO: "I don't have the exact date yet, but whenever it happens Deontay Wilder is getting knocked out."

 

GL: Are you disappointed that you didn't get the opportunity to fight Anthony Joshua?

 

LO: "I'm not disappointed because in all reality and people don't understand, I already had a deal in place to fight Wilder. That's the fight I wanted the most because I think Wilder is the best champion out there and he beat me. I'm a competitor. The Joshua fight was on the table, but I would have only had a few weeks to get ready for it, then there were other things going on that I don't want to discuss, but in the end I got the fight I wanted, which is Wilder. If I could have picked one fight, it was Wilder and now I've got it."

 

GL: If you're ever going to become the heavyweight champion of the world, does it have to happen in this fight?

 

LO: "It's going to happen in this fight."

 

GL: Do you have a preference on where it takes place?

 

LO: "I"m knocking Deontay Wilder out, so anywhere that there's a ring and a referee who can count ten is perfectly fine with me."

 

GL: Closing thoughts.

 

LO: "I want to thank you for the interview, I see what you've been doing for the Cubans this week. I want the fans to keep tuning in because I'm about to become first Cuban heavyweight champion ever when I get Deontay Wilder in the ring again. Cuban boxing is alive and well, I feel like Rances beat Easter, Ugas beat Porter, Lara beat Castano, they just didn't get the decisions, but when I get Deontay Wilder back in the ring there aren't going to be any decisions, I'm knocking Deontay Wilder out!"