Oscar De La Hoya Looking to Pit Ortiz Against Crawford Next
Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya believes top junior middleweight contender Vergil Ortiz Jr. (21-0, 21 KOs) and WBA champion Terence “Bud” Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) will be a mega-fight next year.
After Turki Alalshikh expressed that making Bud versus Saul “Canelo” Alvarez is no longer a priority, fans are asking what’s next. While speaking with media members, De La Hoya introduced the idea of Ortiz Jr. versus Bud in early 2025.
“He has to establish himself at 154. He probably fought the toughest guy, not the most dangerous guy . . . But I think that Crawford and Vergil Ortiz next year, first quarter, would be a super-fight.”
NOT SO FAST
De La Hoya has a point; Crawford is coming off a close unanimous decision victory against Israil Madrimov. Many fans and pundits were surprised at how Madrimov could land clean shots on the pride of Ohama, Nebraska.
Before moving to junior middleweight, Ortiz wanted to face the WBA champion while both competed in the welterweight division. . Ranked number one by the WBA, the Texan is knocking at the door of a title shot.
Boxing fans shouldn’t get too excited, as Ortiz has to get past Serhii Bohachuk on August 10. Additionally, word on the street is that the next fight for Crawford could be against WBC champion Sebastian Fundora, if he gets past his upcoming title defense against one-time unified welterweight champion Errol Spence.
De La Hoya and Golden Boy would love to put his fighter against a 36-year-old Crawford, who could be suddenly vulnerable. On paper, there’s a high probability that it would be an entertaining battle. It’s a fight that the boxing community would love to see. But, in reality, don’t expect to see it anytime soon.
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