Matthysse KOs Ortiz in Second, With Body Shot

Lucas Matthysse was an oxygen snatcher, and took out Roberto Ortiz in the second bout on the Showtime telecast, from the US Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio, with a Micky Ward special in a junior welter tangle.

The crippler shot was a left hook, to the ribs, the high ribs, maybe sapping the liver. His piece came out, and the fighter beat the count, but the ref was waving his hands.

After, Matt said he was ready to keep rocking to Jim Gray. Gray said he spoke to the ref, who told him the loser did not beat the count, though replay says otherwise. The winner challenged Danny Garcia to fight him, and not fight “little boxers.” Not Broner, who has talked about Matthysse? Garcia is his top choice, then Broner, or anybody, really, he said.

The loser told Gray he was up at nine. He said he wanted extra time, and could have continued.

Ortiz (31-0-1 with 24 KOs) is from Mexico. Matthysse, from Argentina, came in 35-3 1 ND.

In the first, Ortiz showed a wide stance. Matt came out cranking, as you can hear his power from rows deep. Ortiz looked herky-jerky, and threw wide a few times, leaving an opening for a straight counter.

In the second, a right to the side looked like it smarted on Ortiz. He then hit the deck and didn’t make it up, said the ref, Benjie Esteves. The left to the torso was thrown as Ortiz started a right, for the record. He looked to be up at 9 1/2 to me…You guys?

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