Ortiz fought Teofimo Lopez in February 2024 and gave him real trouble. He was faster. He threw combinations. Teofimo never quite agreed. Many fans thought Ortiz did enough to win, but the decision went the other way. That fight still matters.
Since then, Ortiz has fought three times and won all three. Neither were big fights. Neither moved him closer to a title. For a guy who almost beat a top champion, the silence was harsh. It’s not because Ortiz lacks ability. It’s because he’s dangerous.
Ortiz is a big talent who hasn’t been protected by matchups. No soft fights. No slow build. He acted, acted and was not rewarded. Fighters like that don’t get big opportunities. They are shunned.
If Ortiz ends up fighting Hitchins, it will be a serious jump in trouble. Hitchins last fight was George Kambosos Jr., a pressure fighter who stays in front of you. Before that, the best win on his record is usually listed as Liam Paro, another fighter who doesn’t move much and lets exchanges develop. Ortiz doesn’t fight like that.
He moves more. He is faster. He throws in combination and does not wait for single shots. He makes opponents reset and rethink. Stylistically, he’s closer to Shakur Stevenson than anyone Hitchins has faced, but with more volume and less caution. This is not an easy match for a champion who likes to control.
Hitchins’ manager Keith Connolly said this week that Hitchins is expected to feature high on the card, but he did not name an opponent. Eddie Hearn has also not commented publicly. So for now it’s all unresolved.
What has been confirmed is the date and the platform. Everything else is still taking shape.
If the opponent turns out to be Jamaine Ortiz, it won’t be because the fight is safe or convenient. It will be because someone finally agreed to face a fighter who never got the red carpet treatment and doesn’t need it.
