Alexander Flores feels good about his shot at Luis Ortiz, but can he win?

Alexander Flores is a bit of an unknown quantity as he goes into a heavyweight title bout with top-tier boxer Luis Ortiz. Can Flores pull off the upset? 

Luis Ortiz is one of the best heavyweights in the world, but at 41 years old, he’s running out of time to become a world champion. His next bout is against relatively unknown Alexander Flores. What are the chances that Flores can make a name for himself by defeating the hard-punching former title contender?

Flores’s name isn’t going to jump out at you. He has two notable names on his résumé, but he lost both fights by knockout. Flores (18-2, 16 KOs) was stopped by former IBF titleholder Charles Martin back in 2014. His only other defeat came against former WBO champion Joseph Parker in 2018. Parker knocked Flores out in round 3.

While talking to the media in a pre-fight press conference, FanSided asked Flores about his loss to Parker and what he learned from that experience.

“Just stay off the ropes. He did catch me a couple of times on the ropes. That’s actually not the best place to be in a fight. My fitness. My eating habits. I’m not the most chiseled guy, but I have changed my nutrition and all that.”

Flores was never competitive in his loss to Parker. Parker had Flores against the ropes for all four rounds and punished him to the body and eventually caught him with a series of hooks to the head.

Ortiz (31-2, 26 KOs) has two losses on his record as well. Former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder knocked him out both times. He was very competitive in both contests and had Wilder in serious trouble during their first fight, but eventually got caught by Wilder’s tremendous power punches.

Ortiz has the experience and power advantage over Flores, but Flores has youth on his side. Flores is 30 years old. He feels that his desire to succeed is greater than Ortiz’s.

Alexander Flores is young and hungry, but Luis Ortiz is a formidable opponent who has a significant edge going into their bout

“I’m the younger fighter,” said Flores. “I’m a little more hungry. He’s been at the top for quite some years now. He fought the best of the best. I haven’t been at that pinnacle yet where he has been.”

Flores seems like he has been training hard and wants to win, but desire and hard work aren’t always enough. In his case, those attributes likely will not be sufficient to pull off the upset against Ortiz.

Yes, Ortiz is old for a boxer, but he still demonstrates an elite skillset. While his age is detrimental, his vast experience advantage over Flores is a monstrous asset. Ortiz has 161 rounds of professional experience compared to Flores’s 69. He also has wins over decent boxers like Travis Kauffman, Tony Thompson, Bryant Jennings, and others.

According to Oddsshark.com, Flores is an 8-1 underdog across numerous betting brokerages. The oddsmakers have this one right.

Flores is a fair boxer with a solid jab that he uses well. His hand speed is slightly above average, and he has some power. Flores hasn’t knocked out a notable opponent, but he has 16 KOs on his record for a 76 percent KO rating. However, he has some serious flaws.

Flores isn’t the most athletic boxer around. His reaction time is delayed. When Parker attacked during their fight, Flores couldn’t respond quickly enough and got tagged repeatedly.

His defense is also suspect. Flores pulls straight back when his opponent advances and lacks shoulder and head movement. He’s a pretty easy target to find, which is why both Martin and Parker were able to put Flores away with hooks.

A Flores victory is doubtful, but his spirits seem high.

“Beating Ortiz will put me up with the top heavyweights,” said Flores. “I think a win is going to definitely lead to a world title fight sooner rather than later.”

If Flores defeats Ortiz, it would be a huge accomplishment for the young heavyweight. His confidence is admirable, although probably misplaced. Ortiz vs. Flores can be seen on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 8 p.m ET on FOX.