Manuel Ortiz Regained the Bantamweight Crown
Manuel Ortiz became world bantamweight champion by defeating Lou Salica over twelve rounds in 1942. His two championship reigns made him one of the division’s busiest titleholders of the decade.
The first championship reign
Ortiz turned professional in Hollywood in 1938, losing his debut before climbing through the bantamweight ranks. His victories included Tony Olivera, Little Pancho and Jackie Jurich.
After beating Salica, he defended the championship fifteen times over the next four years. Eight of those defenses came in 1943 alone. Harold Dade ended the reign by decision in 1947.
The return to the championship
Ortiz regained the title from Dade two months later at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles. Four further defenses followed, against Kui Kong Young, Tirso Del Rosario, Memo Valero and Dado Marino.
Vic Toweel defeated him by decision in Johannesburg in 1950. Ortiz continued boxing until 1955 and died on May 31, 1970. The International Boxing Hall of Fame inducted him in 1996; its record lists ninety-seven wins, twenty-eight defeats and three draws.
His second reign took him to Honolulu, Manila and Mexicali for successful defenses. Ortiz also avenged his professional debut defeat by beating Benny Goldberg in a championship contest. In his final professional year, 1955, he won four of five fights.
