The 154-pound boxing world has become unbeaten Vergil Ortiz’s oyster as he improved to 4-0 in the division last weekend following a major health scare that robbed him of two years of his career and forced him to move up in weight.
Ortiz (23-0, 21 KOs) may have seen his career-long knockout streak get snapped in his last two fights, but the pair of wins over the last six months doubled as the two best of his entire career after the native of Dallas, who resides in the town of Grand Prairie, Texas, got up from the canvas twice to edge Serhii Bohachuk in a fight of the year candidate last August before returning on Saturday to outpoint former champion Israil Madrimov in Saudi Arabia.
Considering Madrimov was fresh off of nearly upsetting pound-for-pound star Terence Crawford in their title bout last August, many in boxing wondered how the 26-year-old Ortiz would deal with the movement and awkwardness of Madrimov. But Ortiz’s close victory by unanimous decision showcased as mature and patient a boxing performance as the often all-action fighter has yet to author since turning pro in 2016.
“I’m very proud of my performance and I’m in a good place right now,” Ortiz told CBS Sports on Wednesday. “[My gameplan was] just to not overcomplicate things. There was a lot of smoke and mirrors going on [with Madrimov’s movement] and I just needed to keep it simple. That’s all it was.”
In the process, Ortiz became the overnight darling of the junior middleweight division even though he has yet to fight for a world title.
“I think that I proved that I am, if not the best, one of the best 154-pounders,” Ortiz said. “I think that I am but it’s just only a matter of time before I get the opportunities to prove that. I think I’m one of the best fighters in the game right now but I’m just looking for opportunities to show that.”
Although he is more known as a two-fisted slugger on the inside and a murderous body puncher, Ortiz proved himself as a world-class boxer by controlling Madrimov from middle distance and constantly cutting off the ring. Not only did Ortiz avoid the bait of Madrimov’s constant feinting, he poured on the offense in the second half as Madrimov slowed and the fight progressed.
Given that Crawford is likely headed toward a fall showdown with unified super middleweight champion Canelo Alvarez, Ortiz believes Crawford should’ve been stripped and that his fight with Madrimov contested for the vacant WBO title.
That doesn’t mean Ortiz is complaining, however. And given his prior history of being willing to fight any name put in front of him — he signed to fight former titleholder Tim Tszyu last August before Tszyu pulled out with a cut and Ortiz fought Bohachuk, instead — he’s ready for quite literally anyone that his promoter, Golden Boy, or Saudi Arabian adviser, Turki Alalshikh, can secure.
Let’s take a closer look at Ortiz’s biggest options at 154 pounds and what he thinks about a possible fight against them.
Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs), age 37, WBO titleholder: “I don’t know how we would do it but if it does happen, that would be amazing. We have been calling for that fight since [they both were at welterweight] and it has been a few years now. I don’t think that fight is going to happen. I spoke to a few people and they said that it’s only a matter of time before he retires. I hope for it but I’m not very optimistic that fight happens.”
Sebastian Fundora (21-1-1, 13 KOs), age 27, unified WBO/WBC titleholder: “I don’t think [fans would turn this fight down]. I think it’s a good fight. It’s a very fan-friendly fight, for sure. Every fight that Fundora is in is pretty much entertaining, in my opinion. I think this one is very simple [provided Fundora defeats Chordale Booker on March 22] and it’s a fight that pretty much everyone would want to see.”
Bakhram Murtazaliev (23-0, 17 KOs), age 32, IBF titleholder: “I don’t think anyone was really familiar with Murtazaliev, at least not here in the states, [until his upset knockout of Tszyu last October]. That was the first time most people had watched him and we all thought Tszyu was going to do his thing against him. I was shocked, I really was. I didn’t expect that at all and I was like, ‘Damn, this guy is good.’ Nevertheless, that just makes me even more excited because it’s just another good fighter I can test my skills against.”
Tim Tszyu (24-2, 17 KOs), age 30, former IBF titleholder: “Maybe me and Tim can run it back. Respectfully, I think he’s a great fighter. We both wanted that fight so bad. It sucks that it didn’t happen.”
Jermell Charlo (35-2-1, 19 KOs), age 34, former undisputed champion: “I think Charlo is still at 154 [despite having been idle since 2023]. I don’t have anything against him. I would love to test my skills against him, as well. I think he’s a great fighter.”
Errol Spence Jr. (28-1, 22 KOs), age 34, former unified welterweight champion: “I don’t think Errol should fight again. And I say this as a fighter who really looked up to him being in the same gym. I think he’s done. I don’t want to see him fight again, I really don’t. It’s just for his health concerns. He already had the car crash and he had a bad night against Crawford [in 2023]. If he made the money that he has needed and doesn’t need anymore to survive and can live comfortably, just retire. I really don’t want to see him fight anymore as a friend.”
Jaron “Boots” Ennis (33-0, 29 KOs), age 27, IBF welterweight titleholder: “Ennis is a great fight!”
Serhii Bohachuk (25-2, 24 KOs), age 27, lost majority decision to Ortiz last August: “They wanted so much money on the last fight, they just kept asking for more money. They had so many demands that it was just insane. The fight almost didn’t happen. They wanted the money so bad that we said no rematch clause. But, now you want to fight again? They still got the money. You sold your belt for that extra $200,000. I’m conflicted about it. It’s like, ‘Yeah, I’ll fight you again but give me half of your purse or something. You are going to pay for that.’ I’m very conflicted by that because I’m a proud person. But me being a fighter, I would love to [have a rematch].”
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