Serhii Bohachuk’s promoter, Tom Loeffler, thinks Israil Madrimov made a mistake by scheduling a fight against Vergil Ortiz Jr. on February 22nd in the mammoth PPV card announced this week.
The former WBC junior middleweight champion Bohachuk (24-2, 23 KOs) will fight Madrimov (10-1-1, 7 KOs) in 17 days on December 21st on Turki Alalshikh’s card at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh.
Rematch Eyed
Loeffler says Bohachuk will defeat the former WBA 154-lb champion Madrimov, and he’d like him to be considered as the replacement opponent for Vergil Jr. to fight on February 22nd.
That would make a lot more sense as the plan B option for Ortiz Jr. to fight if Madrimov loses to Bohachuk rather than Xander Zayas stepping in to fight him. He said he’d been asked about his interest in fighting Vergil Jr. on the February 22nd card but never heard back.
Bohachuk, 29, lost a controversial 12-round majority decision to Vergil Ortiz Jr. on August 10th in Las Vegas. Loeffler states that His Excellency Turki approached him and Bohachuk after the fight, telling them that he felt he deserved the win against Ortiz Jr.
That’s why he included him on the undercard of Tyson Fury vs. Oleksandr Usyk 2 rematch on December 21st in Riyadh. Bohachuk knocked Ortiz Jr. down twice in the fight, and looked like the clear winner.
The Nevada judge’s scores for the Vergil Jr vs. Bohachuk fight:
– 113-113
– 114-112: Ortiz Jr.
– 114-112: Ortiz Jr.
Madrimov’s Mistake?
“It was a big surprise to us, them announcing a future fight for Madrimov, knowing how big of a puncher Serhii Bohachuk is,” said promoter Tom Loeffler to Fighthype, reacting to the announcement of Israil Madrimov being scheduled to fight Vergil Ortiz Jr. on February 22nd.
“You see, he’s ready for destruction. He’s focused 100% on Madrimov. I’m not sure what the Madrimov team is thinking about agreeing to a fight for a future fight when Serhii’s plans are to derail that plan. You see how great of a shape he is with Manny Robles, and we’re looking forward to a great fight.
“No disrespect to Madrimov, Bohachuk is going to win that fight. When I was with GGG, we had fights planned out strategically in the future, but we never announced a fight was actually done. That’s a part that is a little confusing. It’s out of our control.
Turki wanted Madrimov on the February 22nd card but didn’t want to put a question mark by his name. If he makes it past Bohachuk with a win and no major injuries, he’ll be the one who faces Vergil Jr. on that card. If not, it could be anyone.
Zayas is an obvious choice because he’s already been asked, and he wouldn’t be worn out from a grueling fight. Madrimov can punch. So, even if Bohachuk defeats him, he’s likely to be beaten up a little and not ready to start a training camp for a grueling rematch against Ortiz Jr.
Bohachuk Ready
“We appreciate His Excellency Turki Alalshikh putting Serhii on the show. He [Turki] was in Vegas when Serhii fought Vergil Ortiz, and he knocked him down twice,” said Loeffler. “He came up to us after the fight and said he thought Serhii won that fight. That’s why he put him on the December 21st show.
“Serhii wants all the big fights, and that’s why this is a tremendous fight against Madrimov. If Serhii Bohachuk beats Madrimov, it could be a rematch with Vergil Ortiz. It could be a fight with Fundora, which he was supposed to fight. It could be Tim Tszyu. Errol Spence is still in that division,” said Loeffler about different options for Bohachuk if he’s victorious against Madrimov on December 21st.
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