Ortiz fought Teofimo Lopez in February 2024 and gave him real problems. He was quicker. He threw mixtures. Teofimo never fully settled in. Loads of fans thought Ortiz did enough to win, but the choice went the opposite way. That fight still matters.
Since then, Ortiz has fought 3 times and won all three. None were big fights. None moved him closer to a title. For a man who nearly beat a top champion, the silence has been loud. That isn’t because Ortiz lacks ability. It’s because he’s dangerous.
Ortiz is a significant talent who hasn’t been protected by matchmaking. No soft fights. No slow construct. He stepped up, performed, and didn’t get rewarded. Fighters like that don’t get rushed into big opportunities. They get avoided.
If Ortiz finally ends up fighting Hitchins, it could be a serious jump in difficulty. Hitchins’ last fight was George Kambosos Jr., a pressure fighter who stays in front of you. Before that, the very best win on his record will likely be listed as Liam Paro, one other fighter who doesn’t move much and lets exchanges develop. Ortiz doesn’t fight that way.
He moves more. He’s faster. He throws together and doesn’t wait for single shots. He makes opponents reset and rethink. Style-wise, he’s closer to Shakur Stevenson than anyone Hitchins has faced, but with more volume and fewer caution. That’s not a straightforward matchup for a champion who likes control.
Hitchins’ manager, Keith Connolly, said this week that Hitchins is anticipated to look high on the cardboard, but he didn’t name an opponent. Eddie Hearn hasn’t commented publicly either. So for now, it’s all unresolved.
What’s confirmed is the date and the platform. All the things else continues to be taking shape.
If the opponent seems to be Jamaine Ortiz, it won’t be since the fight is secure or convenient. It’ll be because someone finally agreed to face a fighter who never got the red-carpet treatment and doesn’t need it.