On what was supposed to be a showcase night for Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions kicking off 2024, we saw one new signee flattened inside a round in the co-main event before veteran referee Tony Weeks produced another controversial early main event stoppage – this time souring Vergil Ortiz Jr’s long-awaited return against overmatched opponent Frederick Lawson.
Ortiz wanted rounds to shake off rust – got anything but
R1, 2:33 – Vergil Ortiz Jr bt. Fredrick Lawson via TKO, now 20-0 (20 KOs)
- 30-year veteran referee Tony Weeks, who also officiated Rolando Romero’s controversial stoppage win over Ismael Barroso last May, told DAZN’s Beto Duran that he stopped it because he saw Lawson’s eyes roll into the back of his head despite strong protests against his decision
- Vergil Ortiz Jr, a career welterweight, is expected to campaign at light-middleweight and ended a 17-month layoff after health scares, injury and more threatened to curtail his promising future entirely at one stage
- 25-year-old with respectful Tim Tszyu callout in post-fight interview, Australian champion responds willingly on social media after Ortiz’s promoter de la Hoya says rising star happy to travel for possible bout
You couldn’t help but feel sorry for Vergil Ortiz Jr.
Not only was this highly-anticipated return quickly shrouded in controversy that didn’t concern him, but he had to check himself and apologise to fans inside Las Vegas’ Virgin Hotels post-fight after convincing himself they were booing him.
DAZN’s ringside interviewer Beto Duran felt compelled to ask the crowd, almost pantomime style, whether they were booing Vergil – it was painfully obvious they were unhappy with how the fight had abruptly ended, rather than anything else.
“Alright, my bad guys. Look, you know what I’m about, I love to fight. I wish I could’ve kept going… need the rounds but hey, I was hurting him with the jab and wasn’t even landing it that hard.
I’m sorry but I’m ready for anyone out there. It felt like I’m back to what I usually do – this is my calling, what I live for and I wanna continue doing this.”
Ortiz was only just getting started against Lawson, and fee-paying fans would’ve felt robbed of an emphatic finish that felt eerily ominous after watching the 25-year-old unload punches in bunches with the Ghanaian pinned up against the ropes.
Compubox punch stat totals
Ortiz landed 24 of 59 punches thrown (41%), compared to 4 of 35 (11%) for Lawson
Weeks didn’t give the 34-year-old ample opportunity to fight back and given it was still the first round without a real standout punch landed to warrant genuine concern, there didn’t seem like much justification in real-time for an abrupt ending.
Besides going through the motions of fight week, it means we’re no closer to seeing how Ortiz looks in a new weight class – so while the Tim Tszyu callout makes sense in the long run for two boxers who prefer to stay active, it’d be feasible for him to get another one or two bouts before being thrust into a world title shot later this year.
“I know people would wanna see this fight: Tim Tszyu I would love to fight you, you’re a hell of a fighter and let’s do this. I’m a competitive person and wanna fight the best.”
The Tszyu of it all
Tszyu had made it clear the Brian Mendoza matchup would be his last in Australia, having previously outlined a desire to conquer the boxing world Stateside before his Jermell Charlo world title fight was postponed indefinitely twelve months ago.
He currently trains out of the Split T boxing gym in Las Vegas and did so during the most intense period of fight camp before facing Sebastian Fundora’s conqueror on October 15, so will probably want another world title defence booked around March.
Josh Kelly is ranked #1 by the sanctioning body but Wasserman will likely push him into pursuing domestic fights instead, as another defeat – three years after European champion David Avanesyan stopped him at 147lbs – could be disastrous.
Erickson Lubin (26-2, 18 KOs) and Xander Zayas (18-0, 12 KOs) are #2 and #3 respectively, 21-year-old Zayas still a while away from world title contention while Lubin’s recent disputed decision win over the previously-unbeaten contender Jesus Ramos could drum up considerable interest Stateside in a bout between the pair.
It’ll be interesting to see who the Aussie tests himself against next, assuming Ortiz is saved for a later date while things can marinate a little given his comeback.
Other results
In the night’s co-main event at 140lbs, Ismael Barroso knocked Hackney’s Ohara Davies down twice in the first-round and scored a stunning TKO win over one of de la Hoya’s new signees, clinching the WBA’s interim world title before calling out Romero for a rematch – the champion watched ringside and congratulated him afterwards.
Light-welterweight: Arnold Barboza Jr bt. Xolisani Ndongeni via R8 corner retirement
Welterweight: Raul Curiel improved to 14-0 and won the North American Boxing Federation title at 147lbs with an eighth-round TKO vs. Elias Diaz
Light-middle: Emiliano Gandara bt. Isaac Matamoros via R1 TKO
Former unified light-welterweight world champion Jose Ramirez was formally announced as another GBP signee, with Rolando Romero expected to either defend his WBA title in a Barroso rematch or box Ryan Garcia after the former WBC interim lightweight champion‘s u-turn from a proposed Devin Haney matchup.
Picture source: Getty Images, quotes via DAZN broadcast
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