By Peter Lim

Deontay Wilder’s most glaring strength and weakness will both factor prominently into how this matchup will unfold. We all know Wilder (39-0, 38 KOs) has spectacular fight-ending power in his fists, but it has overshadowed the fact that his defense is as porous as his punch is potent.

It doesn’t take much to close the distance against Wilder. His defense is as inviting as an open house; just walk on in. No need to bob, weave, jab, feint or shuffle your feet to get there. Just casually stroll on in, take a look around, maybe have a cookie and do as you please.

Many of his recent opponents, Eric Molina and Johann Dehaupas in particular, have proven how easy it is to sail past and nullify Wilder’s height and reach advantage and clobber him up close and personal.

Wilder’s defense appears even more suspect when taking into account the mediocre level of his opposition thus far in his career. Bermane Stiverne, Molina, Dehaupas, a shopworn Chris Arreola and a 16-0 Gerald Washington pale in comparison to the caliber of fighter that Luis Ortiz (28-0, 24 KOs) represents.

Built like a Neanderthal but educated in the finer points of the sweet science, Ortiz has the experience and equipment to exploit the multiple cracks in Wilder’s armor by leaps and bounds more than any of his previous opponents.

But Wilder’s power cannot be denied. In blasting out an out-of-shape Stiverne in his last outing, Wilder can lay claim to have stopped every man he has faced in the professional arena.

That’s 38 heavyweights on the canvas, twice as many knockout victims that Mike Tyson had before he was extended the distance for the first time in his 20th fight. Simply put, if Wilder can hit you clean, you’re out. Even the tree trunk of a shock absorber Ortiz calls a neck will fall timber to one of Wilder’s direct hits.

Can Ortiz avoid Wilder’s bombs long enough to inflict significant damage of his own, or will Wilder’s power once again render everything else moot in his 40th consecutive fight? Either way, short of a draw, one fighter will leave the ring undefeated no longer.