In an exclusive interview with FightHype’s Sean Zittel, Jamaine Ortiz, widely recognized as one of the best lightweights in the division, laid out his thoughts on his upcoming fight, his past victory against Lomachenko, and his ambitions for the future. Ortiz, who is set to co-headline on Josh Taylor – Teofimo Lopez card on June 10th, believes he is in his prime and ready to solidify his standing in the division.
“You know, it wasn’t a bad Lomachenko that night, it was a good Jermaine Ortiz,” he declared, defending his impressive performance against Lomachenko, which had sparked speculation that the former champion was off his game.
Building Momentum
The charismatic Ortiz is using the momentum from his win against Lomachenko to prepare for his next challenge. Not only did his victory demonstrate that he could go toe-to-toe with one of boxing’s most skillful competitors, but Lomachenko’s subsequent performance against Devin Haney proved that he still had plenty left in his tank.
“What do you got to do next Saturday to capitalize and keep things going upwards?” Ortiz was asked. “Try to win in impressive fashion. Just keep doing what I do. Just got to be the best version of myself,” he responded.
Refining His Technique
Ortiz acknowledged his strong opponent in the upcoming fight but remained confident, focusing on enhancing his technique. His fight preparation centered around refining his fundamentals, being sharper, and avoiding mistakes that had cost him in previous bouts.
“A lot of times [I’d] be off balance, causing me some mistakes. This cost me big in the place being off balance or just the punches not looking that sharp,” he explained. For Ortiz, going back to the basics is critical in his quest for improvement.
The Shakur Stevenson Challenge
On the subject of Shakur Stevenson, who had been vocal about his desire to put Ortiz “in his place,” the young fighter remained unperturbed. In fact, he seemed to relish the prospect of a showdown with Stevenson.
“Well, let’s see. Try to put me in my place? I’m pretty sure that somebody else that’s going to be taking a new place after I beat Shakur Stevenson, and that’ll be me for sure,” he confidently asserted. He didn’t provide specifics on his strategy, only stating that his game plan would be different and he intended to win.
Looking Ahead
In terms of future fights, Ortiz expressed interest in facing Devin Haney, depending on Haney’s weight class decision. When asked about a potential fight with Haney, Ortiz said, “I don’t think so unless he wants to fight me.”
Further into the future, Ortiz has his sights set on a world title, eyeing the potential for vacant belts should Haney move up. “Obviously Shakur, that’s less than one, I know that would be for a world title and that’s what I want. I want the world title,” he stated.
A Bright Future
With plenty of big fights on the table should he triumph in his next bout, Ortiz is more excited than usual. He’s ready to capitalize on the opportunities that come his way, eyeing world titles and unification bouts.
Despite the buzz around his upcoming fight, Ortiz remains grounded, acknowledging that nothing is set in stone. Nevertheless, his confidence, skill, and ambition mark him as a fighter to watch in the lightweight division. As for his prediction for the Taylor vs. Lopez fight? “I’m picking Taylor,” Ortiz revealed, without giving much away.
