HBO is looking to end the year with a big bang. Undefeated heavyweight knockout artist and interim champion Luis Ortiz - 23-0, 20 KOs - will meet top contender Bryant Jennings - 19-1, 10 KOs - in New York this Saturday for the last HBO Championship Boxing card of 2015. With Tyson Fury now the undisputed heavyweight champion, the division is now wide open for a slugger like Ortiz to make his mark.
Boxing odds at BookMaker.eu
Luis Ortiz -180
Bryant Jennings +150
Over/under TBD
Please note: BookMaker updates their odds daily, so these money lines may have shifted after this article was written.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The opening line in Las Vegas originally placed Ortiz as a heavy favorite with a -275 money line. Jennings was nearly a 2-to-1 underdog at +195. Since then, action has all Ortiz, bringing his odds down by nearly 100 points. I’d only expect that trend to continue as many are pegging Ortiz to be a true player in the heavyweight division.
ORTIZ LOOKS TO SEAL THE DEAL
It’s too early to tell how good Ortiz can be, since he’s faced such poor competition since turning pro in 2010. His amateur career in Cuba is well documented, but he’s rarely been past the third round. He’s only gone eight rounds just three times in his career, and that was against nobodies.
What’s more, Ortiz is already 36 years old. He started his pro career very late, and that limits his potential considerably. Inside the ring, he doesn’t look like a young 36 either - you could tell anyone that he’s 40 and they’d probably believe you.
In September 2014, Ortiz knocked out Lateef Kayode to win the interim title in Las Vegas. But the fighter tested positive for a banned steroid after the bout. The win was changed to a no-contest and the Cuban was subsequently fined and suspended. Since then, he’s won two in a row, including a knockout victory over Matias Vidondo this past October.
Jennings is coming off a loss to former undisputed champion Wladimir Klitschko this past April. The best thing you can say about Jennings in that fight is that he didn’t get knocked out. Instead he got on his bicycle and avoided the Ukrainian’s monster right hand. Overall, the fight wasn’t competitive.
“I’m excited to get back in the ring against Luis Ortiz, another big heavyweight,” Jennings said. “I’ve come a long way since my last fight against Klitschko, and I have continued to train with fierce intensity. When you suffer defeat for the first time, you learn things about yourself you never knew. I’ve improved a great deal on all aspects of my game, both mentally and physically.”
THE SMART PLAYS
This might be closer than the opening lines suggested. Jennings is five years the junior of Ortiz, and that is a big factor considering how aged Ortiz appears at times. However, Jennings lack of power will be deciding aspect of this fight. It just doesn’t seem like he can really hurt him. We’ve all seen how devastating Ortiz’s fists can be, and he should do enough damage to put Jennings on his bicycle for the majority of the fight.
PREDICTION: Ortiz UD Jennings
HOW TO BET
Access live betting lines at BookMaker Sportsbook and start wagering now. With our live betting options, you can also wager on sporting events as they unfold on television with BookMaker’s live betting platform. Ortiz-Jennings takes place Saturday, December 19, 2015 at the Turning Stone Casino Resort in Verona, New York. HBO Championship Boxing will televise the card starting 10:15 ET.
