Heavyweight contender Luis “King Kong” Ortiz is looking for a statement making victory on Sunday, when he faces former unified world champion Andy Ruiz in a WBC title eliminator.

The fight will headline a Fox Sports pay-per-view card.

Ruiz (34-2, 22 KOs) hasn't fought since a tougher than expected twelve round unanimous decision win over Chris Arreola in May of last year in Carlson, California.

Ortiz (33-2, 28 KOs) is coming off two knockout wins in that time: an all-too-easy 45-second win over Alexander Flores in November 2020 and another in January with a sixth round knockout over former IBF heavyweight champion Charles Martin in Fort Lauderdale.

The Cuban boxer has trained very hard for this important showdown.

“The past camps were difficult in their times, but in this one I feel happy, doing everything that my team tells me to do," Ortiz told George Ebro.

“Andy is a very similar person to me. I see him as being humble. Apart from everything, he knows that Luis Ortiz is a warrior in the ring who will always give his best. I think he will come the same, but I think [during our press conference] face to face he took in his mind what Luis Ortiz is coming.

“The fight [between us] should have come earlier because that is how it should be, that the best fight against the best in order to grow against higher level opponents. That is why we boxers fight, to have the possibility of going for a world title.

“His physique doesn't influence anything. We will determine that when we get in the ring and the bell rings and we both go out to do our job. We'll see then if he has a good physique, if he wants to win, because I come with a strong mind and ready to prove it one hundred percent. I want to be world champion. This is a fight that can get me closer to that path."