Seven Years Away, One More Shot at Glory: Former UBF Title Challenger Dimar Ortuz Returns Against Undefeated John Cantrell

TOPEKA, KANSAS — Seven years is a lifetime in professional boxing. Champions rise, divisions evolve, and careers come and go. But for former Universal Boxing Federation (UBF) Inter-Continental title challenger Dimar “El Animal” Ortuz, the story is far from finished.

On Saturday, January 9, 2027, Ortuz is scheduled to return to professional boxing for the first time in nearly seven years when he faces undefeated heavyweight John Cantrell at the Stormont Vail Events Center in Topeka, Kansas.

The scheduled 10-round heavyweight contest will be featured on Iron Man Promotions’ Night of Legends, alongside an announced rematch between former two-time heavyweight world champion Hasim Rahman and former world title challenger Damon Reed.

For Ortuz, the occasion represents more than another professional appearance. It is an opportunity to revive a career that once carried him into UBF championship contention.

Nearly Seven Years Outside the Ring

Ortuz’s last recorded professional appearance was on February 14, 2020, when he defeated Victor Eduardo Avila Garrido by technical knockout. The record information supplied for this article lists a fifth-round finish.

His listed professional record stands at 13 victories, one defeat, and two draws, including nine knockout wins, matching the WBA’s public fighter profile.

By the time he enters the ring against Cantrell, nearly seven years will have passed since that appearance.

Such a lengthy absence presents significant challenges. Timing, reflexes, conditioning, and the ability to compete under pressure can all become questions for a returning fighter.

Yet Ortuz has chosen an undefeated heavyweight opponent rather than an easier route back into competition.

A Memorable UBF Championship Challenge

Ortuz’s connection to the Universal Boxing Federation dates back to December 3, 2016, when he challenged Robert Hall Jr. for the vacant UBF Inter-Continental Cruiserweight Championship.

The championship encounter took place at the Holiday Inn in Johnson City, Tennessee, with the two fighters battling through the scheduled 10 rounds.

Hall ultimately earned a unanimous decision. The UBF championship archive records Hall’s victory over Ortuz in the cruiserweight title contest.

Although Ortuz did not capture the championship, his appearance in a UBF title contest remains an important milestone in his professional career.

Now, more than a decade after that championship challenge, Ortuz is preparing to return to competition, this time in the heavyweight division.

John Cantrell: An Undefeated Opponent Awaits

Standing in Ortuz’s way is John Cantrell, who enters the matchup with a perfect 19-0 professional record, according to the event announcement.

Cantrell has yet to experience defeat as a professional, making the contest an intriguing meeting between an undefeated fighter and a veteran returning from an extraordinary layoff.

For Cantrell, victory would preserve his unbeaten record and provide another step forward in his heavyweight career.

For Ortuz, defeating a 19-0 opponent after nearly seven years away would represent a remarkable comeback.

The matchup raises one of boxing’s most compelling questions: Can experience and determination overcome prolonged inactivity?

Night of Legends Brings Heavyweight History to Topeka

Iron Man Promotions’ Night of Legends also advertises former two-time heavyweight world champion Hasim Rahman against Damon Reed in a heavyweight rematch.

Rahman remains widely remembered for his stunning knockout victory over Lennox Lewis in 2001, one of the sport’s most memorable heavyweight championship upsets.

The presence of experienced veterans alongside undefeated and returning fighters creates an event celebrating different generations of heavyweight boxing.

For Ortuz, sharing the card with familiar figures from the sport’s history provides a fitting setting for his own return.

A Former UBF Challenger Seeking Another Chapter

The Universal Boxing Federation’s championship history includes fighters whose careers have continued in different directions after competing for UBF recognition.

Ortuz is one such fighter.

His 2016 Inter-Continental Cruiserweight Championship challenge remains part of the federation’s competitive history.

His return demonstrates that a championship opportunity need not represent the final chapter of a fighter’s ambitions.

A successful comeback against Cantrell could reopen opportunities for Ortuz and bring renewed attention to his professional career.

Seven Years Later, “El Animal” Returns

When Dimar Ortuz steps through the ropes on January 9, he will do so nearly seven years after his last recorded professional appearance.

Waiting across the ring will be an undefeated fighter with a perfect record to protect.

For Cantrell, the objective is to remain unbeaten.

For Ortuz, it is an opportunity to show that nearly seven years away have not extinguished his competitive ambitions.

The outcome remains uncertain, but the significance of the occasion is unmistakable.

A former UBF championship challenger is scheduled to return to professional boxing against an undefeated heavyweight.

Seven years away. One undefeated opponent. One more opportunity to make his mark.

Dimar “El Animal” Ortuz returns January 9, 2027.

Event Information

Universal Boxing Federation — Recognizing Boxing Excellence and Championship History.

Editorial note: The January 9 event details, scheduled distance and advertised card were supplied to UBF in the promoter’s event announcement. Future bouts remain subject to change and applicable commission approval. Ortuz is a former UBF title challenger, not a former UBF champion.