It’s hard to write about a fighter you’ve been following for a long time and see them lose for the first time. Although Vergil Ortiz Jr. was given a 12-round majority decision victory over WBC interim junior middleweight champion Serhii Bohachuk last Saturday night in Las Vegas, in my opinion, Vergil lost 7-5. With these numbers, Ortiz couldn’t even get a draw.
My card gave me a result of 111-115 in favor of Bohachuk. Rounds 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9 were for Serhii Bohachuk, and rounds 2, 6, 10, 11 and 12 were for Vergil Ortiz Jr.
After round 9, Vergil Jr. needed to punch to finish the fight. He went out desperately, trying to get to Bohachuk to score a knockout shot, but could not do it. Bohachuk stood up to all the shots from Ortiz Jr. during the last three rounds, 10 through 12.
In recent weeks, we’ve seen fighters move up in weight, but very few have carried their power to the next division. Others have had serious problems taking the power of their opponents in those weight classes.
I’m apprehensive of fighters who move up in weight, particularly when they weigh more than 140 pounds. It wouldn’t be easy to win three or more world titles in different weight categories if the weigh-in were moved to the same day as the fight, in my opinion.
Vergil Ortiz and Terence Crawford will not be as dominant in 154 as they were both in 147.
Long before their most recent fights, there was talk of a possible Crawford vs. Ortiz fight. In my view, fans won’t be as interested in that fight as they were when they were at welterweight.
It’s a shame that Vergil Jr. and Crawford won their last victories in 154 controversially. If the results of their fights were attached to what happened in the ring, the fight we would have to see next would be Serhii Bohachuk vs. Israil Madrimov.
But it didn’t happen that way because the interest of those who control boxing didn’t have in their plans the names of the two fighters, Bohachuk and Madrimov, born outside of the U.S. That’s the sad reality of boxing these days.
Bohachuk is from Ukraine, and Madrimov is from Uzbekistan. They can’t sell in the U.S.
Despite all this, I must admit that Vergil Jr. and Bohachuk delivered, in my opinion, which until today is the Fight of The Year. The fans were supporting Vergil Jr., as usual, and Ortiz did not disappoint. He gave everything he had and achieved through cards, a victory that, instead of helping him, possibly ended up spoiling his legacy.
If they can’t agree to make the Crawford vs. Ortiz fight, I imagine a rematch with Bohachuk would be the most obvious thing for Ortiz. The fans were left with many doubts. If it is possible to make a rematch at the beginning of 2025, it would be the fight we all want to see.
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