Vergil Ortiz wants all the smoke with top welterweights
In boxing, there is always someone looking to fight the champion. Fighters train just for the chance to go for their dream regardless of which champion they are fighting. WBO International welterweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jr (18-0, 18ko) is a fighter looking for any big name in the division.
The Texas fighter has been on a roll, knocking out all of his opponents, with each knockout more impressive than the last. In March, he stopped former WBO junior welterweight champion Maurice Hooker in the seventh round. Then, that should have been the hardest fight of his career. WBO champion Terence Crawford was in attendance of the Hooker fight. Ortiz, fully believing he is ready for a world championship fight, went after Crawford.
“I’m ready for a title shot; whoever wants to give me an opportunity. I’m not going to call anyone a bum. That’s not who I am. I am just ready for the opportunity, if someone wants to give it to me.”
“I’m looking at you, Bud! I’m looking at you. I don’t care if I’m 22-years-old, I want that fight.”
WHEN WILL IT HAPPEN?
Ortiz now sits at the number one spot by the WBO, and he is waiting for his opportunity. When it will happen is the real question. Crawford was ordered to fight two-time divisional champion “Showtime” Shawn Porter. Manny Pacquiao is set to fight WBA ‘super’ champion Yordenis Ugas due to unified champion Errol Spence Jr being sidelined with an eye injury. So he could be waiting until next year before getting a title shot.
In a stay-busy fight, the Texas fighter took on former Crawford victim and title challenger Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas (22-2-1, 18ko). If he was going to make a case for himself, this was the fight to do it in, and boy did he deliver.
Knowing everyone was going to compare his performance to the WBO champion, Ortiz shook off a rough first half and went on a knockdown frenzy before finally stopping Mean Machine in the eighth round. It took the Terence Crawford nine rounds to dispatch of Kavaliauskas, and do believe this was on the mind of the Texas native.
Ortiz starred intensely at the commentator during the post-fight when asked if he was ready for Crawford.
“YESSIR!”
When asked to deliver a message to Crawford, Ortiz did not just stop at one fighter. He went after all the big names atop the division.
“I am here whenever, I am ready to fight whenever, I am here to fight anybody. I do not care if it is Crawford, Spence, or Pacquiao, you name it. I’ll fight anyone.”
By: Garrisson Bland
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