Bryant Jennings (pictured) and Luis Ortiz will square off in an intriguing heavyweight matchup on Dec. 19. (Frank Franklin, AP)
An intriguing heavyweight matchup has been made for HBO’s Dec. 19 “Boxing After Dark” show from the Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, N.Y.
Luis Ortiz and Bryant Jennings have agreed to face off for the Cuban’s WBA interim title, Jennings’ promoter Gary Shaw told USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday. The co-feature will pit Nicholas Walters, in his first fight at 130 pounds, against Jason Sosa, Top Rank vice president Carl Moretti informed USA TODAY Sports.
“It will make one of them the big name in the heavyweight division,” Shaw said. “It’s a real good opportunity for both guys. We’re making sure there’s drug testing because Ortiz had a failed (drug) test. So that was one of the conditions of this fight. I’m not worried about Jennings, he’s a vegan. And there’s enough history on Instagram to prove it. It wasn’t a stumbling block, because Golden Boy (Ortiz’s promoter) agreed to it right away.”
According to Shaw, independent agency Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA) will conduct random blood and urine testing ahead of the fight. It’s unclear when testing will start, but Shaw is pushing for it to begin immediately.
Ortiz (23-0, 20 KOs) tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone following a win first-round KO of Lateef Kayode in September 2014 (since changed to a no contest). The Miami-based 36-year-old beat down Matias Ariel Vidondo on the Golovkin-Lemieux undercard Saturday en route to a third-round KO. He will be facing by far his toughest opposition to date in Jennings. The fight was negotiated for this past Saturday, but Jennings didn’t like the offer and rejected the bout.
The 31-year-old Philadelphian surprised in his April loss to heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko by winning four rounds on two cards. He impressed with his defense and ability to land cleanly on Klitschko, and now has a chance for a big 2016 if he can get past Ortiz. Jennings (19-1, 10 KOs) started training camp today, according to Shaw.
Nicholas Walters and Jason Sosa will square off in the co-feature. (Top Rank)
The televised co-feature pits Walters, one of the biggest punchers in the sport, against the unknown Sosa. Walters (26-0, 21 KOs) was headed toward a featherweight unification fight with Vasyl Lomachenko, but the 5-7 Jamaican came in overweight for his June victory over Miguel Marriaga and will now campaign at 130 pounds. Walters exploded on the scene in 2014 with highlight-reel KOs of Vic Darchinyan and Nonito Donaire.
Sosa (18-1, 14 KOs) will be fighting under the Top Rank banner for the first time. The Las Vegas-based promotional company recently made a deal with Russell Peltz to co-promote the 27-year-old puncher from Camden, N.J. Sosa scored a first-round KO of Jerry Belmontes in August, but is taking a leap in class for his big TV exposure.
“It’s bombs away,” Moretti said. “There may be a heavyweight fight in the main event, but the heavyweight punchers will be throwing in the opener.”