By Stephen Hart at ringside
Photos: Tom Casino/Showtime

This time, WBC #3, IBF #8 heavyweight contender Luis “King Kong” Ortiz had a better night in Brooklyn. Nearly one year to the day that the 39-year-old Cuban heavyweight suffered his only loss at the hands of heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, Ortiz bested WBO #12 rated Christian Hammer in a comfortable 10-round heavyweight decision.

The southpaw Ortiz (31-1, 26 KOs) showed spry legs throughout along with a stinging jab. The former world title contender did a lot of his scoring while Hammer was against the ropes. While the two-time European champion seemed to be trying to bait “King Kong” that way, the strategy resulted more in a bloody mouth and nose than any points.

Still, the Romania-born German Hammer (24-6, 14 KOs) seemed to be having fun in his U.S. debut, turning the middle of the fight into a backyard brawl and even drawing blood from Ortiz’s nose. But the 31-year-old ran out of steam over the final four rounds. Ortiz won on all cards (100-90, 100-90, 99-91) in his second appearance at the Barclays Center.

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