Luis Ortiz (boxer)
Encyclopedia
Luis Ortiz Flores (born November 5, 1965 in Humacao) is a Puerto Rican
former boxer
who is a native of Humacao
.
in the 1984 Los Angeles
summer Olympics
. Ortiz at first wasn't very well known in Puerto Rico. Within days after he started competing in the Olympics, that changed, as he began to win bouts. When he secured a bronze medal at the games, he became a nationally known figure, because Puerto Rico had only had two other medalists in their Olympic history, Juan Evangelista Venegas
(1948, bronze, boxing) and Orlando Maldonado
(1976, bronze, boxing).
Ortiz made history, however, when he secured the silver medal a few days before the end of the games. According to him, he weighed himself on the morning of the day before the gold medal fight in his Olympic village room, and he outweighed his division's weight limit (135 pounds) by one and a half pounds. As a consequence of that, since that moment and until the gold medal fight, he was placed in a strict, liquids-only diet by his training team.
Ortiz made the weight for the fight and was allowed to fight for the gold medal. However, he lost the fight by a [knockout] in round two to future multiple-time professional world champion Pernell Whitaker
.
Ortiz and Arístides González
also made history another way during these games: when Gonzalez won a bronze medal in boxing at the Middleweight division, these games became the first Olympic games in which Puerto Rico earned two medals in the same games.
Nevertheless, Ortiz was the object of a hero's welcome by about 300 fans at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport
in San Juan
when he returned home. His hometown officially welcomed him by placing many banners on street lights and thank you messages.
To this day, his silver medal remains the highest medal obtained by any Puerto Rican athlete representing Puerto Rico in Olympic competition.
Note: While Jose Torres, a Puerto Rican, won a silver medal in boxing at the 1956 Olympics, he did so representing the United States
, as he was required to because he had resided there more than six months. Ortiz's silver medal is historically recognized by Puerto Rican sports historians as the first silver medal won for Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
former boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
who is a native of Humacao
Humacao, Puerto Rico
Humacao is a city in Puerto Rico located in the eastern coast of the island, north of Yabucoa; south of Naguabo; east of Las Piedras; and west of Vieques Passage. Humacao is spread over 10 wards and Humacao Pueblo...
.
Amateur career
Ortiz had an award winning amateur career, which led him to represent Puerto RicoPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
in the 1984 Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
summer Olympics
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. Ortiz at first wasn't very well known in Puerto Rico. Within days after he started competing in the Olympics, that changed, as he began to win bouts. When he secured a bronze medal at the games, he became a nationally known figure, because Puerto Rico had only had two other medalists in their Olympic history, Juan Evangelista Venegas
Juan Evangelista Venegas
Juan Evangelista Venegas was the first Puerto Rican to win an Olympic medal.-Early years:Venegas was born in an underprivileged section of San Juan, Puerto Rico where fighting was a common way of life. Many of the youth at that time saw the sport of boxing as a way to a better life...
(1948, bronze, boxing) and Orlando Maldonado
Orlando Maldonado
Orlando Maldonado is a retired boxer from Puerto Rico, who won the bronze medal in the men's light flyweight division at the 1976 Summer Olympics...
(1976, bronze, boxing).
Ortiz made history, however, when he secured the silver medal a few days before the end of the games. According to him, he weighed himself on the morning of the day before the gold medal fight in his Olympic village room, and he outweighed his division's weight limit (135 pounds) by one and a half pounds. As a consequence of that, since that moment and until the gold medal fight, he was placed in a strict, liquids-only diet by his training team.
Ortiz made the weight for the fight and was allowed to fight for the gold medal. However, he lost the fight by a [knockout] in round two to future multiple-time professional world champion Pernell Whitaker
Pernell Whitaker
Pernell Whitaker , nicknamed "Sweet Pea", is a professional boxing trainer and retired American professional boxer...
.
Ortiz and Arístides González
Aristides González
Ariestides González Ortíz is a boxer from Puerto Rico, who won the bronze medal in the Middleweight division at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He shared the podium with Algeria's Mohamed Zaoui...
also made history another way during these games: when Gonzalez won a bronze medal in boxing at the Middleweight division, these games became the first Olympic games in which Puerto Rico earned two medals in the same games.
Nevertheless, Ortiz was the object of a hero's welcome by about 300 fans at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport
Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport
Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Carolina, Puerto Rico, three miles southeast of San Juan. Over 4 million passengers board a plane at the airport per year according to FAA reports . It is owned and managed by the Puerto Rico Ports...
in San Juan
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
when he returned home. His hometown officially welcomed him by placing many banners on street lights and thank you messages.
Olympic results
- 1st round bye
- Defeated Buala Sakul (Thailand) KO 2
- Defeated Alex Dickson (Great Britain) KO 2
- Defeated José Antonio HernandoJosé Antonio HernandoJosé Antonio Hernando de Juana is a retired boxer from Spain, who represented his native country at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. There he was stopped in the quarterfinals of the lightweight division by Puerto Rico's eventual silver medalist Luis Ortiz.-References:*...
(Spain) 5-0 - Defeated Martin N'DongoMartin N'DongoMartin Ndongo Ebanga is a retired boxer from Cameroon.He won the bronze medal in the men's lightweight division at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. He was defeated in the semifinals by eventual silver medalist Luis Ortiz of Puerto Rico...
(Cameroon) 3-2 - Lost to Pernell WhitakerPernell WhitakerPernell Whitaker , nicknamed "Sweet Pea", is a professional boxing trainer and retired American professional boxer...
(United States) TKO 2
Pro career
Ortiz tried professional boxing between 1985 and 1986. He did not enjoy much success in the professional rankings, winning 2 bouts and losing 1. All his three professional fights were won or lost by decision. Ortiz retired soon after his third bout, and now holds an office job in his native town.To this day, his silver medal remains the highest medal obtained by any Puerto Rican athlete representing Puerto Rico in Olympic competition.
Note: While Jose Torres, a Puerto Rican, won a silver medal in boxing at the 1956 Olympics, he did so representing the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, as he was required to because he had resided there more than six months. Ortiz's silver medal is historically recognized by Puerto Rican sports historians as the first silver medal won for Puerto Rico.