Luis Ortiz has traveled across the country to support his stablemate as well as scout his next potential opponent.

The top-rated heavyweight contender will be among the evening’s most interested observers inside Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California. A 10-fight event is topped by a heavyweight crossroads clash between former unified titlist Andy Ruiz (33-2, 22KOs) and three-time title challenger Chris Arreola (38-6-1, 33KOs), which airs live Saturday evening on Fox Sports Pay-Per-View.         

“I am very excited to be here in California, looking forward to see who the winner is going to be between Ruiz and Arreola,” Ortiz told BoxingScene.com. “I am here to watch and fight the winner as my team continues working on my journey to become heavyweight champion.”

Ortiz (32-2, 27KOs) has not fought since a 1st round knockout of Alexander Flores last November at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The Fox-televised blowout represents the lone fight since the pandemic for the 42-year-old Cuban southpaw, who now lives and trains in Miami.  

The aforementioned win over Flores came after Ortiz’s second failed bid at becoming a heavyweight titlist. Both attempts and career defeats came at the potent hands of Deontay Wilder, who scored a one-punch 7th round knockout of Ortiz in their Nov. 2019 Fox Sports PPV headliner. The bout took place nearly two years after Wilder stopped the Cuban export in the 10th round of their March 2018 Showtime-televised thriller.

Ortiz enjoyed a steady stream of fights between the aforementioned defeats to Wilder. Just 45 seconds worth of ring time has since followed his second failed title bid, though with assurances of bigger opportunities on the horizon. Ortiz is on hand to support longtime stablemate and sparring partner Carlos Negron (22-3, 18KOs)—who faces Scott Alexander on Saturday’s undercard which will air on PBC on Fox social media channels—though also in hopes of his next fight coming versus whomever prevails in the main event.

“I am excited to see the winner of tonight’s fight,” German Caicedo, Ortiz’s head trainer (as well as Negron) told BoxingScene.com. “I have been assured that the winner is next for Ortiz.”

Until he can receive a third crack at becoming the first-ever Cuban to win a heavyweight title, Ortiz is willing to settle for another honor.

“I would love nothing more than proving I’m the best Latin heavyweight in the business,” insists Ortiz.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox