Ortiz, who’s in town to receive the Flash Elorde Memorial Award in rites tonight, had a rough childhood, moving from Puerto Rico to New York City at an early age and surviving street wars. He did odd jobs while growing up then made a name for himself as a professional fighter.
In his prime, Ortiz was revered as a living fistic legend. He traveled the world, fearlessly taking on challengers in their backyard, and amassed a tidy fortune. Ortiz lived a lavish lifestyle until booze and party girls took their toll. It wasn’t long after his retirement that Ortiz suffered fits of depression. He became bankrupt and drove a taxi for 10 years to get his feet back on the ground.
Ortiz never hid his addiction to alcohol. An Alcoholics Anonymous graduate, he overcame the addiction, mustering the courage that was his trademark as a ringster.
Today, the Hall of Famer lives comfortably in a Bronx apartment with his third wife Mary.
"If I was to do it all over again, I would do it exactly how I did it during my career," said Ortiz in the video "Latin Legends: Champions Forever." "I wouldn’t change a thing. I enjoyed myself while I was doing it. I was champion of the world for about 10 years in two divisions. That is all an athlete ever wants to be–a champion. I made it and I’m satisfied. I wouldn’t change anything."
Ortiz, 68, said he was introduced to boxing by his father, a nightclub waiter who loved the sport. He was 11 when his father took him to a New York bar where the first Joe Louis-Jersey Joe Walcott heavyweight title fight was on TV. While he drank a soda, Ortiz was mesmerized by the action in the ring.
The next day, Ortiz went to the Madison Square Boys Club gym, about a block away from home, and signed up. He watched fighters bang the heavy bag and keep rhythm with the speedball.
"I was dumbfounded, hypnotized," he recalled. Within a few minutes, Ortiz decided to take up boxing. What unfolded was a colorful 17-year career that led to two world crowns.
Ortiz said he idolized fighters like Sugar Ray Robinson, Willie Pep, Sandy Saddler, Ike Williams and Beau Jack and took something from each of them to incorporate into his own unique style.
Actor Edward Olmos, annotating the video, said Ortiz was in his heyday what Julio Cesar Chavez was in his.
"Everything I did was for the sake of myself and my country," said Ortiz. "I wanted my country to be recognized. I wanted Puerto Rico, a small island, to get a good name by being recognized in boxing."
Unlike many of today’s champions who stubbornly refuse to fight away from home, Ortiz welcomed the challenge of barnstorming the globe.
In 1959, Ortiz said he met his toughest foe, Len Matthews, in Philadelphia.
"Matthews had 38 knockouts in 39 wins," recalled Ortiz. "I was told it was wrong to fight this kid in Philadelphia, his hometown. But I used to fight kids in their own hometowns. Nobody ever did that and I came out alive."
In 1964, Ortiz fought and beat Flash Elorde in Manila. Two years later, he took on Sugar Ramos and stopped the Cuban transplant before 23,000 fans in Mexico City. A riot erupted when fans refused to accept referee Billy Conn’s decision to stop the carnage. A year later, Ortiz halted Ramos anew, this time in San Juan.
Ortiz also fought in Panama City, Santo Domingo, Buenos Aires, London, Milan, Tokyo and various US cities.
Ortiz was once slated to face Roberto Duran but the fight never took place.
"Duran was one of the greatest fighters who ever lived," said Ortiz. "He had everything. Duran was a manager’s dream–rough, tough, knew a little bit about boxing. He went into the ring to fight. He was a great champion."
A loss to Ken Buchanan ended Ortiz’ career in 1972 and aborted a showdown with Duran.
In 1962, Ortiz was in Manila to battle "Ancient" Art Persley, a Louisiana veteran who was married to a Filipina. He was paid P35,000 for the non-title bout and donated P200 to the Pancho Villa Fund managed by the Games and Amusements Board.
Ortiz came with manager "Honest" Bill Daly and was given a hero’s welcome by adoring Filipino fans.
Asked about lefthanded then-world junior lightweight champion Flash Elorde, Ortiz said:
"He’s a great southpaw. I have fought and licked southpaws before (like Kenny Lane). There’s also one thing I can lick–my low 90s at the golf course."
Ortiz took up golf in 1961.
"All that bunk about golf being bad for boxing started when Joe Louis began putting up mediocre performances because golf was supposed to have spoiled his timing," said Ortiz, quoted by Percival Picardo of the defunct Manila Chronicle. "It affects a boxer’s coordination and reflexes only when it takes too much time out of his training. Othewise, all that walking on the links is good for the legs."
Ortiz played golf at Wack Wack during his 1962 visit.
Two years later, he was back in Manila to stake his world lightweight crown against Elorde. And over 40 years later, he has returned to receive an award from the Elorde family for his achievements in the ring.