Along with Félix Trinidad, Miguel Cotto, Wilfredo Gómez, Héctor Camacho, José Torres, Edwin Rosario and Wilfred Benítez, Ortiz is considered among the best Puerto Rican boxers of all time by sports journalists and analysts.

[1] As of January 2018, Ortiz holds the record for the most wins in unified lightweight title bouts in boxing history at 10.

[3] Ortiz, born in Ponce, started his professional career in 1955 with a first round knockout of Harry Bell in New York City.

He returned to New York again and won 4 more bouts in a row, then made his California debut, beating Mickey Northrup by a decision in 10 rounds.

Carlos met Kenny Lane for the vacant world Jr. Welterweight title, in New York on the night of 12 June 1959.

Ortiz won a 15-round decision over Brown on 21 April 1962 in Las Vegas, to win his second world title, this time in his second championship division.

A knockout win in 14 rounds over another Hall of Famer, Gabriel Elorde, Flash in the Philippines followed, and then a rematch with Lane, this time Ortiz retaining his world Lightweight title with a 15-round decision in San Juan.

But in 1965 he went to Panama and fought yet another member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame, Ismael Laguna who defeated him in 15 rounds to claim Ortiz's world Lightweight title.

Ortiz is also a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame and he always enjoyed taking photos with his fans and signing autographs for them.