David Martinez / Boxing Historian / dmboxing.com
On June 13, 2022, the boxing world lost a great champion. Carlos Ortiz passed away at the age of 85. He was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, on September 9, 1936.
Ortiz began his outstanding professional career in 1955 with a first-round knockout over Harry Bell in New York.
He suffered his first loss losing to Johnny Busso via 10 round split decision on June 27, 1958. Ortiz was 21 years old and held an undefeated ring record of 26-0 entering that bout. Three months later in September, Ortiz reversed his loss with a convincing 10-round decision win. Both Busso fights were held at Madison Square Garden, New York.
After posting a ring record of 29 wins, 2 losses, and one no-decision, Ortiz met Kenny Lane for the vacant junior welterweight / super lightweight title in New York on June 12, 1959. Lane had given Ortiz a 10-round loss prior, on December 31, 1958, but this time Ortiz would win by knockout after two rounds to become the second Puerto Rican world champion since Sixto Escobar did it more than thirty years before.
In 1960, Ortiz defended his 140-pound title twice, knocking out Battling Torres and taking a 15-round decision over Duilio Loi. Also in 1960, Ortiz and Loi met in a rematch and Ortiz lost a 15-round decision. Ortiz and Loi fought their rubber match on May 10, 1961, with Loi winning a 15-round decision.
In 1962, Ortiz moved down in weight to lightweight and challenged champion, Joe Brown. On April 21, Ortiz won a 15-round decision over Brown to win his second world title, and I remember it well, watching the fight on TV with my father on that Saturday evening.
After holding on to the 135-pound title for two years, on April 10, 1965, Ortiz lost a 15-round decision to Ismael Laguna in Panama City.
Ortiz regained the title later that year in November with a decision over Laguna, and held it until he lost a controversial split decision to Carlos Teo Cruz, a bout that was held in Cruz’s native Dominican Republic, on June 29, 1968.
Ortiz retired after the Cruz fight, but made a comeback in 1971 and 1972, winning nine consecutive fights, all by knockout.
Then on September 20, 1972, he faced former lightweight champion Ken Buchanan, who was coming off a loss to Roberto Duran. Ortiz lost by sixth-round stoppage, and retired officially after the fight; this would be the only defeat by a knockout in his 70-fight career.
Ortiz traveled worldwide for many fights in cities such as London, Milan, Manila, Tokyo, Panama City, Mexico City, Buenos Aires, and Santo Domingo, and fought some Hall of Famers not mentioned earlier such as Cisco Andrade, Flash Elorde, Nicolino Locche, and Sugar Ramos. His official professional ring record stands at, 61 wins, 7 losses, 1 draw, and 1 no contest, with 30 by knockout.
On my personal list, I rank Ortiz the #7 greatest lightweight “pound for pound” of all time, right behind (in order) Benny Leonard, Roberto Duran, Joe Gans, Tony Canzoneri, Ike Williams, and Pernell Whitaker, and just ahead of Freddie Welsh, Lou Ambers and Packey McFarland – to round out my top ten.
Ortiz was honorably inducted into the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1987, and into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991.
May his soul rest peacefully in heaven with the Lord.