Primed for a welterweight world title shot, Vergil Ortiz Jr was searching for answers after a prolonged health scare saw him withdraw on multiple occasions from career-altering bouts. A rhabdomyolysis diagnosis wasn’t heeded but eventually, he came to the conclusion 147lbs wasn’t a sustainable weight cut any longer – so now it’s onwards to the light-middleweight division.
Ortiz Jr back healthy, faces Lawson in Las Vegas headliner
Vergil Ortiz Jr (19-0, 19 KOs) vs. Fredrick Lawson (30-3, 22 KOs)
Ortiz weighs in at career-high 156lbs to Lawson’s 152.4lbs, making it officially a middleweight bout on 25-year-old’s long-awaited return
- Ortiz Jr on his return: “Headlining my first card in Las Vegas after over a year of inactivity is just what I needed, I’m very motivated to put on a great show like I always do, show everyone that I’m still here.”
- Ortiz hopes for an active 2024 to make up for a rough stint on the sidelines, eyeing world champions and eager to make his mark: “I definitely wanna fight at least three times this year, shoot for four and get my momentum back. I want to be active, my name to be in peoples’ mouths again, just wanna do my job. I’ve been training, it’s like you’re training for something then don’t get to do your job… just training for nothing.”
- Golden Boy promotions chairman, CEO in Oscar de La Hoya pips Ortiz Jr to become a world champion at light-middleweight, a division currently in flux: “Vergil is ready to come back stronger than ever to become a world champion in this sport, he’s got the heart and dedication, and is on a mission to be a world title holder – I know he will make a statement… we’re proud he’s launching our action-packed boxing schedule for the year.”
- Hackney’s Ohara Davies vs. Ismael Barroso for the WBA interim light-welterweight title and new 140lb signee Arnold Barboza Jr (28-0, 10 KOs) among those featuring on the undercard
Having withdrawn from two previously scheduled fights with WBA world welterweight champion Eimantas Stanionis (14-0, 9 KOs), highly-ranked welterweight contender and rising star Vergil Ortiz Jr faced a difficult but inevitable decision.
Continue risking his health and overtraining in the gym to make the 147lb limit come fight week – negatively impacting peak performance as a result – or be at peace with the decision to move up a weight class and chase world championship gold there.
“When everything went down, right before I went to the hospital, at that point I thought my career was over.
What’s going on, what’s wrong with me? I’m over here doing the best I can, putting in 110%, but am I not able to do it anymore? That question did cross my mind a few times and I broke down crying, just not knowing what was next.”
- Vergil on his emotions after his most recent setback last summer
Ortiz Jr, with a 5ft 10in frame, should’ve come to this conclusion sooner. That he eventually did is a blessing, and he’ll naturally look to make up for lost time to kick off a busy 2024 schedule by maintaining his perfect knockout streak this weekend.
The relationship between him and long-time trainer Robert Garcia is stronger than before too, having originally announced he had parted ways from the veteran coach in Nov. 2021 but officially reuniting ahead of this comeback fight.
Garcia believes his charge can fight and match the world’s best, whether that be at 154 or later 160lbs either. Both divisions aren’t exactly packed with star attractions but at 25, Ortiz Jr’s realligned goals mean there’s no reason why he can’t assert himself as the top guy across both weight divisions rather soon if all goes to plan.
A lot has been said about the light-middleweight division, one with collective hype on the world stage cooling in recent years at a time where finally achieving undisputed status in the weight class directly below hinted at an ageing star moving up (once again) to challenge then-undisputed champion Jermall Charlo.
On this topic, also read:
Tszyu outboxes, scores R9 finish vs. Harrison to clinch WBO interim title
Charlo’s broken hand throws up uncertainty, as title defence scratched
Tim Tszyu (24-0, 17 KOs) was upgraded to full WBO champion after Charlo moved up in weight to box Canelo for the Mexican’s undisputed 168lb world titles on September 30, and the Australian successfully defended his title with a UD12 win over Sebastian Fundora’s conqueror Brian Mendoza two weeks later.
Although there is a contractual rematch clause to be honoured after their aforementioned undisputed fight last July, Terence Crawford (36) and former unified welterweight titlist Errol Spence Jr (33) remain two big names Ortiz naturally wants to test himself against, at a weight both seem likely to venture towards.
Whether they’ll accept, remains to be seen. There are pressing questions about the rest of the world titles at 154lbs, with Charlo’s future in the weight class now unclear – he still holds the WBC and WBA belts, while the IBF strap remains vacant at present.
But the roadmap can become clearer once Saturday night is complete, an expected highlight reel finish in the books and Ortiz’s confidence gradually starts rebuilding.
Picture source: Getty Images, quotes via BoxingScene.com
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