Manuel Ortiz (July 2, 1916, Corona California – May 31, 1970, San Diego California) was an American professional boxer in the bantamweight division and one of the very best boxers of the 1940s. He was a two-time Undisputed Bantamweight World Champion and was named to The Ring's list of the 80 Best Fighters of the Last 80 Years. In 1996, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

Amateur career Ortiz, who was of Mexican descent, started an amateur career in 1937. Within a year, Ortiz won the Southern California Amateur Flyweight Title, the Golden Gloves Title, and the National AAU title in Boston. He also defeated Chief Lopez, who was an Olympic runner-up, and Bobby Hagar (father of former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar) twice. In their first fight, Ortiz decked Hagar 17 times. In their second match, Ortiz decked Hagar twenty times. His hometown was El Cenro California.

Professional career

Ortiz turned pro in 1938 and in 1942 won the World Bantamweight title by beating Lou Salica. He defended the title a division record of 15 times against 11 boxers before losing to Harold Dade in 1947. He regained the title in a rematch later in the year, and defended the title four more times giving him the most combined title defenses of any bantamweight champion in history at 19 title defenses. After losing his undisputed championship to the undefeated Vic Toweel in 1950, he went on to fight for 5 more years never getting a chance at an unprecedented third bantamweight title reign.

Outside the Ring Ortiz made a very brief appearance in a gym scene in the 1947 movie Killer McCoy. Ortiz served in the U.S. Army. Ortiz died from cirrhosis of the liver after a long illness in 1970, in San Diego Naval Hospital. Ortiz is the very first boxer in the prominent boxing online database on BoxRec, having the Global ID number of simply "1". Ortiz spent most of his life living in El Centro, CA. Town in which he is currently buried.

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRoundDateLocationNotes131LossEnrique EsquedaPTS10Dec 10, 1955130Win100–27–3Papelero SanchezKO3 (10)Aug 16, 1955129Win99–27–3Memo ValeroKO3 (10)Jul 22, 1955128Win98–27–3Manuel HernandezKO4 (10)Jun 10, 1955127Win97–27–3Manuel HernandezTKO6 (10)Mar 13, 1953126Loss96–27–3 Eddie ChavezUD10Sep 3, 1951 125Loss96–26–3 Jackie GravesUD10Jul 17, 1951 124Loss96–25–3 Tirso Del RosarioPTS10Jun 2, 1951 123Win96–24–3 Bonnie EspinosaKO8 (10)Mar 3, 1951 122Loss95–24–3Lauro SalasMD10Jan 26, 1951 121Loss95–23–3 Eddie ChavezSD10Dec 5, 1950 120Win95–22–3 Jackie McCoyUD10Nov 10, 1950 119Loss94–22–3 Vic ToweelPTS15May 31, 1950 118Win94–21–3 Harold DadeSD10Mar 7, 1950 117Win93–21–3 Theo MedinaPTS10Nov 14, 1949 116Win92–21–3 Jackie PatersonPTS10Oct 26, 1949 115Loss91–21–3 Ronnie ClaytonPTS10Oct 3, 1949 114Loss91–20–3 Jimmy CooperMD10Aug 29, 1949 113Win91–19–3Tony VazquezKO4 (?)Jul 23, 1949112Win90–19–3Memo ValeroKO7 (10)Jul 16, 1949111Win89–19–3Leonardo LopezKO5 (10)Jul 9, 1949110Win88–19–3Beto CarvajalPTS10Jun 29, 1949109Loss87–19–3Beto CouaryPTS10Jun 25, 1949108Win87–18–3Pinky PeraltaTKO5 (10)May 20, 1949107Win86–18–3Baby MickeyKO5 (10)May 15, 1949106Win85–18–3Lauro SalasUD10Apr 26, 1949 105Loss84–18–3 Henry DavisUD10Mar 29, 1949 104Win84–17–3 Dado MarinoUD15Mar 1, 1949 103Win83–17–3Jose CardenasUD10Jan 1, 1949102Loss82–17–3 Maxie DocusenUD10Dec 14, 1948 101Win82–16–3 Buddy JacklichKO8 (10)Oct 29, 1948 100Loss81–16–3Lauro SalasUD10Sep 28, 1948 99Win81–15–3Memo ValeroKO8 (15)Jul 4, 194898Win80–15–3 Henry DavisSD10May 25, 1948 97Win79–15–3 Joey DolanRTD6 (10)Apr 27, 1948 96Win78–15–3 Tirso Del RosarioPTS15Dec 20, 1947 95Loss77–15–3 Manny OrtegaTKO8 (10)Oct 15, 1947 94Win77–14–3 David Kui Kong YoungSD15May 30, 1947 93Win76–14–3 Harold DadeUD15Mar 11, 1947 92Loss75–14–3 Harold DadeUD15Jan 6, 1947 91Loss75–13–3 Carlos ChavezUD12Oct 22, 1946 90Win75–12–3 David Kui Kong YoungKO7 (10)Jul 12, 1946 89Win74–12–3 Jackie JurichKO11 (15)Jun 10, 1946 88Win73–12–3 Kenny LindsayKO5 (15)May 22, 1946 87Win72–12–3 Horace LeftwichUD10Apr 22, 1946 86Draw71–12–3 Carlos ChávezPTS15Mar 19, 1946 85Win71–12–2Luis CastilloKO13 (15)Feb 25, 1946 84Win70–12–2Eli GolindoTKO4 (10)Feb 15, 1946 83Win69–12–2 Proctor HeinholdPTS10Nov 20, 1945 82Win68–12–2 Jose AndreasUD10Nov 12, 1945 81Win67–12–2 Horace LeftwichPTS10Nov 2, 1945 80Win66–12–2 Bert WhiteKO7 (10)Jan 26, 1945 79Win65–12–2Jose GonzalezMD10Jan 12, 1945 78Win64–12–2 Lorenzo SaforaPTS10Nov 22, 1944 77Win63–12–2Luis CastilloTKO9 (15)Nov 14, 1944 76Win62–12–2 Carlos ChávezSD10Sep 30, 1944 75Win61–12–2Luis CastilloTKO4 (15)Sep 12, 1944 74Win60–12–2 Enrique BolanosTKO6 (10)Aug 29, 1944 73Loss59–12–2 Willie PepUD10Jul 17, 1944 72Win59–11–2 Larry BolvinUD10Jun 29, 1944 71Win58–11–2 Pee Wee LewisTKO9 (10)May 19, 1944 70Win57–11–2 Tony OliveraUD15Apr 4, 1944 69Win56–11–2Ernesto AguilarUD15Mar 14, 1944 68Win55–11–2 Benny GoldbergUD15Nov 23, 1943 67Win54–11–2Leonardo LopezKO4 (15)Oct 1, 1943 66Win53–11–2Fillo GonzalezKO5 (10)Sep 4, 194365Win52–11–2Leonardo LopezUD10Aug 13, 1943 64Win51–11–2 Joe RobletoTKO7 (15)Jul 12, 1943 63Win50–11–2 Tony OliveraTKO7 (10)Jun 25, 1943 62Win49–11–2 Joe RobletoUD15May 26, 1943 61Win48–11–2 Lupe CordozaKO6 (15)Apr 28, 1943 60Win47–11–2 Joe RobletoPTS10Apr 16, 1943 59Win46–11–2Pedro RamirezKO6 (10)Apr 2, 1943 58Win45–11–2 Lou SalicaTKO11 (15)Mar 10, 1943 57Win44–11–2 George FreitasTKO10 (15)Jan 27, 1943 56Win43–11–2 Kenny LindsayUD10Jan 1, 1943 55Win42–11–2 Nat CorumTKO6 (10)Oct 30, 1942 54Win41–11–2 Nat CorumPTS10Oct 9, 1942 53Win40–11–2 Bobby CarrollKO5 (10)Sep 25, 1942 52Win39–11–2 Lou SalicaUD12Aug 7, 1942 51Win38–11–2 Elwood RomeroTKO6 (10)Jul 3, 1942 50Win37–11–2Leonardo LopezTKO10 (10)May 30, 194249Win36–11–2 Kenny LindsayKO6 (10)May 8, 1942 48Win35–11–2 Little PanchoKO7 (10)Mar 6, 1942 47Win34–11–2 Tony OliveraMD10Jan 2, 1942 46Win33–11–2 Johnny GradyPTS8Nov 21, 1941 45Win32–11–2 Donnie MaesSD10Nov 7, 1941 44Loss31–11–2 Tony OliveraPTS10Aug 8, 1941 43Win31–10–2 Lou TransparentiKO7 (10)Jun 6, 1941 42Win30–10–2Chucho LlanesPTS8May 14, 1941 41Win29–10–2 Carlos ChávezPTS10May 9, 1941 40Draw28–10–2 Carlos ChávezPTS10Apr 4, 1941 39Win28–10–1 Lupe CordozaTKO8 (10)Mar 14, 1941 38Win27–10–1 Joe RobletoTKO6 (10)Feb 11, 1941 37Win26–10–1 Rush DalmaKO3 (10)Jan 10, 1941 36Win25–10–1Carlos ManzanoKO6 (10)Oct 26, 194035Win24–10–1Panchito VillaTKO7 (10)Oct 10, 194034Loss23–10–1Panchito VillaPTS10May 18, 194033Win23–9–1Panchito VillaPTS10Apr 20, 194032Win22–9–1 Jackie JurichTKO9 (10)Apr 5, 1940 31Win21–9–1 Andy VasquezTKO5 (6)Mar 21, 1940 30Draw20–9–1 Little DadoPTS10Jan 30, 1940 29Win20–9 Elwood RomeroPTS10Dec 14, 1939 28Win19–9 Cyril JosephKO5 (10)Dec 5, 1939 27Win18–9 Horace MannPTS10Oct 24, 1939 26Loss17–9 Donnie MaesPTS10Oct 17, 1939 25Loss17–8 Lou SalicaPTS10Sep 15, 1939 24Loss17–7 Bobby LeyvasPTS10Aug 8, 1939 23Loss17–6 Jackie JurichPTS10Jun 9, 1939 22Win17–5 Sammy LaPorteTKO7 (10)May 4, 1939 21Win16–5 Tommy CobbPTS10Apr 11, 1939 20Win15–5 Jackie JurichTKO7 (10)Mar 14, 1939 19Loss14–5 Small MontanaPTS10Jan 2, 1939 18Win14–4Bernie ReyesPTS10Dec 6, 1938 17Loss13–4 David Kui Kong YoungPTS10Nov 8, 1938 16Win13–3 Richie LemosPTS10Oct 21, 1938 15Win12–3 Richie LemosPTS6Sep 30, 1938 14Win11–3 Kent MartinezKO1 (4)Sep 23, 1938 13Win10–3 Tony NavarroKO3 (?)Aug 15, 1938 12Loss9–3 Benny GoldbergPTS4Aug 5, 1938 11Loss9–2 Pablo DanoPTS6Jul 5, 1938 10Win9–1 Reuben AyonTKO5 (6)Jun 27, 1938 9Win8–1 Frenchy SavidanPTS4Jun 24, 1938 8Win7–1 Joe RickeyTKO3 (6)Jun 6, 1938 7Win6–1 Sammy LaPortePTS4Jun 3, 1938 6Win5–1 Santos HugoTKO4 (4)May 17, 1938 5Win4–1 General PadillaTKO4 (4)May 3, 1938 4Win3–1 Serio MendozaPTS4Apr 14, 1938 3Win2–1 Frenchy SavidanPTS4Mar 25, 1938 2Win1–1 Tony NavarroPTS4Mar 11, 1938 1Loss0–1 Benny GoldbergPTS4Feb 25, 1938

Titles in boxing Major world titles NYSAC bantamweight champion (118 lbs) (2×) NBA (WBA) bantamweight champion (118 lbs) (2×)

The Ring magazine titles The Ring bantamweight champion (118 lbs) (2×)

Regional/International titles California State bantamweight champion (118 lbs)

Undisputed titles Undisputed bantamweight champion (2×)

See also List of Mexican boxing world champions List of world bantamweight boxing champions

References

External links

Manuel Ortiz - CBZ Profile

https://titlehistories.com/boxing/wba/wba-world-b.html https://titlehistories.com/boxing/na/usa/ny/nysac-b.html boxrec.com