"This fight is going to end in a knockout" - Luis Ortiz promises fireworks against Andy Ruiz Jr.

Luis Ortiz has promised that his heavyweight showdown with Andy Ruiz Jr. will end in a finish.

'King Kong' is set to return in September against 'Destroyer' in a headlining bout on Fox Sports pay-per-view. The card is set for the latter's backyard, with the event taking place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California.

Both men are attempting to claw their way into title contention.

Ortiz heads into the bout having secured two straight knockouts, with his latest win coming over former champion Charles Martin in January this year.

Ruiz Jr. returns for the first time since his brawl with Chris Arreola last May. In what was supposed to be a rebound fight for the former champion, he got more than what he bargained for. Despite getting dropped, Ruiz Jr. went on to win the bout via decision.

Heading into their showdown, there's little doubt that the fight will provide fireworks. At yesterday's press conference for the event, Ortiz echoed a similar sentiment. He stated:

“My main objective right now is to win on Sept. 4. Then after that, I’ll see who crawls out and steps up. So far there haven’t been too many [challenges] at the elite level. This fight is going to end in a knockout. I’m sure Andy thinks the same thing. This one isn’t going to go 12 rounds.”

Watch the Ortiz vs. Ruiz Jr. press conference below:

---

Who could Luis Ortiz fight if he defeats Andy Ruiz Jr.?

Luis Ortiz mentioned that there aren't many challenges at the elite level, so who could he face next?

'King Kong's' quote about a lack of challenges is a clear reference to the top of the division being top heavy. While there's no doubt that names such as Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, Anthony Joshua, and Deontay Wilder are incredible, there's a massive drop-off after that.

Ortiz is likely hoping to face one of the aforementioned names if he defeats Ruiz Jr., but there's a lot of drama at the top. 'AJ' and 'The Cat' are set to collide in August. The winner will possibly face 'The Gypsy King' in a title unification bout later in the year.

The 43-year-old recently stated that he would like to fight Deontay Wilder once again. The two have fought on two prior occasions, with 'The Bronze Bomber' winning by knockout during both fights. However, there's no guarantee the former WBC heavyweight champion will return anytime soon.