Ortiz vs Bautista Predictions: ‘Technician’ cannot let late replacement interrupt his flow

Super lightweight dangerman Jamaine Ortiz fights this Saturday, August 23, against little-known Ambiorix Bautista. Ortiz had been scheduled to face former world title challenger Steve Claggett, but the Canadian withdrew last week with a shoulder injury. Thankfully, Ortiz’s camp will not go to waste. 

‘The Technician’ fights at the Caribe Royale in Orlando on the undercard of Yankiel Rivera Figueroa vs Angelino Cordova. The event is live on DAZN and will also feature Yoenis Tellez vs Abass Baraou in the chief support slot. Read on for my Ortiz vs Bautista predictions ahead of this 10-rounder.

Ortiz vs Bautista Odds

Reflecting the late replacement opposition perhaps, Ortiz is a whopping 1/80 to do the business. 98.8% in implied probability terms. Bautista is priced at 16/1 to score the win while the draw is marketed at 22/1.

Ortiz vs Bautista Fight Preview

Ortiz vs Claggett was an excellent piece of match-making. Two fighters who have lost to WBO, The Ring and lineal champion Teofimo Lopez, but neither disgraced themself in defeat. The winner of the cancelled clash would have put themself right back in the mix for a crack at one of the division’s three other titlists. 

But with Claggett dropping out, it is difficult to pretend that beating Bautista will do much for Ortiz. The 19-2 man from the Dominican Republic is having his first fight outside of his home country. The 33-year-old has never been knocked out, which could pose and interesting challenge to Ortiz, considering he has only amassed nine finishes in his 19 victories.

There is not much footage to go on for Bautista either. A six-year-old clip of him bludgeoning 0-4 Stiven Gonzalez feels like an unfair relic upon which to judge his skills. The only other pro fight footage available is from nine months ago, a much tidier knockout of Juan Alberto Garcia Perez. But given the fact his opponent was 9-19-1 and the venue is a tiny gym with 20 people in, I am not overly convinced by his quality.

Sometimes fighters need the bright lights to rouse themselves into special feats. But that sounds like a line from Rocky and real life rarely scrapes Balboa-esque heights. Bautista got the nod because he was available on short notice and willing to fight a world-ranked opponent. I respect that. Why not risk it all for a shot at glory? 

Ortiz is the one fighting under pressure here and he would do well to remember that. The majority of people will see Bautista as a warm body brought in to keep Jamaine on the card. The Dominican is not the one under the microscope. But Ortiz cannot afford to slip up. Not if a second crack at the world title remains his ambition.

Ortiz can hang with the best. He is the only man to knock out Ugandan spoiler supreme Sulaiman Segawa. ‘The Technician’ has beaten former world champion Jamel Herring as well as fringe contenders Antonio Moran and Nahir Albright. 

The issue is that Ortiz has planted himself between the rest and the best. As evidenced above, he beats everyone you need to defeat on the way to big fights. But when those opportunities came, Ortiz lost both fights. It should be said that losing to future Hall of Famer Vasiliy Lomachenko and world champion Lopez via close decisions is more of a testament to ‘The Technician’ than a criticism of him. That is truly elite company to compete in and Ortiz was genuinely competitive in both contests.

The mind wanders to what he might do against slightly less fearsome foes. IBF champ Richardson Hitchins looks like another fighter headed for the rarefied air of that Lomachenko/Lopez level. But Subriel Matias is good rather than great, while Alberto Puello demonstrated the way to beat Gary Antuanne Russell. A pursuit of the former’s WBC or the latter’s WBA strap is not beyond Ortiz.

At least not if he wins on Saturday. Bautista has two things in his favour. The element of surprise and two working fists. Sadly, I do not give him much more.

Jamaine Ortiz vs Ambiorix Bautista Full Card

Yankiel Rivera Figueroa vs Angelino Cordova

Yoenis Tellez vs Abass Baraou 

Lucas Bahd vs Roger Gutierrez

Jamaine Ortiz vs Ambiorix Bautista

Jasmine Artiga vs Linn Sandstrom

Stephanie Han vs Paulina Angel

Natalie Dove vs Randee Lynn Morales

Chris Avila vs Ariel Perez

Jocelyn Camarillo vs Agustina Solange Vazquez

Ortiz vs Bautista Prediction

Ortiz should not struggle at all in this one. He was in the ring back in March, for a wide points win over Yomar Alamo, so rust will not be an issue. ‘The Technician’ has had a full camp preparing for an excellent opponent. Keep the focus and this should be a breeze.

Bautista has never been stopped. But the underdog has also never fought a world class opponent before. Not even close. Despite Ortiz’s meagre knockout record, one must remember he has been throwing those punches at world level guys. Bautista is not in that category. I’m going to tip Ortiz for the win at 1/80.

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