The bout marked Davis’s debut at 140 pounds following his move up from lightweight. It also answered a more immediate question about whether his power and pressure would translate against a durable, experienced opponent who had already gone the distance with top fighters at the weight.
Early on, Ortiz made it work. He used his jab, stayed mobile, and picked spots to land clean punches while keeping Davis from settling into extended runs of offense. There were rounds where Ortiz’s movement and timing slowed Davis down and kept the fight close.
Davis never changed his approach. He stayed in front of Ortiz and went to the body from the opening rounds, even when the head shots were not landing clean. The shots downstairs accumulated quietly. Ortiz remained upright and competitive, but his movement slowed as the fight progressed.
By the middle rounds, Davis was the one setting the terms. He pressed forward more consistently, spent longer stretches in range, and kept digging to the body. Ortiz continued to answer, but the exchanges tilted toward Davis as the rounds passed.
The ending came late. Davis dropped Ortiz with a left hook to the body in the 11th round. Ortiz beat the count and finished the round, but the effect lingered. Early in the 12th, Davis landed another clean body shot that sent Ortiz down again. Ortiz struggled to rise, and the referee stepped in to stop the fight with roughly 15 seconds remaining.
Ortiz had previously gone the distance against elite opposition, including Teofimo Lopez, and had never been broken down this way. Davis did it by staying patient and committing to a plan that did not rely on a single moment.
The win moves Davis to 14-0 and gives him a strong start at junior welterweight. More importantly, it showed that his pressure carries late and that his body work can decide fights at this level.
Ortiz falls to 20-3 after another tough night against a top opponent. He was competitive early, but the cost of absorbing sustained body shots showed when it mattered most.
Davis left no doubt. He avoided the cards, closed the fight on his terms, and showed that at 140 pounds, his strength travels with him.
