Boxer Skyler Ortiz has a 3-0 record. I sat down with Ortiz to discuss boxing and his future in the ring.
McElwain: What’s your advice for anyone trying to make it in sports?
Courtesy IU Student Daily
Ortiz: Ruthless mentality. There is no second best, and there are no vacations. Even when you rest, rest solely to restore your body so that you can work harder.
McElwain: Who is your boxing hero and why?
Ortiz: I have two. One is Muhammad Ali, not because of his greatness in the ring, but the sacrifices he made out of the ring. The other is Roberto Duran. He is the epitome of ruthlessness in the ring.
McElwain: Who was your favorite opponent to face and why?
Ortiz: My favorite opponent was someone I faced as an amateur–Brandon Saavedra–in a Golden Gloves championship fight. He was far from my most skilled opponent, and he didn’t hit the hardest or was the fastest. But he never gave up. He fought like crazy to win every single second of our match. He had more heart than anybody I’ve ever faced.
McElwain: Describe boxing in one word
Ortiz: EVERYTHING!
Courtesy Facebook
McElwain: You haven’t been in the ring since 2019. How do you see your boxing future?
Ortiz: COVID happened and rerouted my career. Today, I manage and operate my own boxing gym. But I’m open to fighting the right opponent, and if there is a multi-opponent to fight the right opponent, I’ll beat them all!
McElwain: Who would you like your next opponent to be?
Ortiz: I fight at 130, and I believe the most skilled boxers in and around my division are Lomachenko and Shakur Stevenson. I want to fight the best, only the best. I’d fight either of them for free, and I’d fight anybody that would lead to a guaranteed fight with either of them.
McElwain: What are your views on Jake Paul’s boxing career? Do you see him as a real fighter?
Ortiz: I like Jake Paul because he’s bringing attention to the sport. That said, I definitely don’t see him as a legit fighter. He hasn’t fought a boxer, and he’s boxed an NBA player and a couple of MMA fighters. He’s play-boxing. But I’m not mad at him because I don’t think he is attempting to position himself as a legit boxer. He’s giving his fans something they want, and he’s also allowing his haters to pay to see him potentially get beat. It’s all fun. But he’s not a real fighter.
