Vergil Ortiz Jr has dismissed suggestions he still needs to prove himself at junior middleweight when he fights Serhii Bohachuk on August 10.
The 26 year old challenges Bohachuk for the Ukrainian’s WBC interim title at Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay, in what represents his third fight since moving up from welterweight.
Ortiz Jr proved himself a destructive puncher at 147lbs, but was forced to move up owing to complications surrounding his health that were a consequence of long Covid.
There was once a time when he and Jaron “Boots” Ennis were considered the future of the glamorous welterweight division, but for all that he stopped Fredrick Lawson and Thomas Dulorme after moving up to 154lbs, both represented less proven opponents than Michael McKinson and Maurice Hooker, among his victims at 147lbs – and indeed than Tim Tszyu, who he was previously on course to fight on August 3 in LA.
“This is the [division] where I need to be,” he said. “I don’t have anything to prove to anyone.
“All eyes are on Bohachuk right now. We’re not looking past him at all. We have a big test ahead with him and we are not worried about anyone else.
“I think my power carries over to 154. I don’t think I’m some devastating knockout puncher. I never saw myself like that. I just pick the right shots, and I place them at the right place, at the right time. That’s all it is.
“I feel physically, mentally and emotionally great. I am ready to go – I am ready to get in the ring right now.”
Ortiz Jr and the 29-year-old Bohachuk have previously sparred, but he said: “We know sparring is sparring. Fighting each other is different. With 10oz gloves with no headgear – let’s see what really happens.”
Bohachuk, who defeated Brian Mendoza in March on the same promotion in Vegas on which Sebastian Fundora unexpectedly outpointed the cut-and-bleeding Tszyu, added: “I may have sparred with him before but sparring is sparring. In a fight it’s different. I know Vergil – he is strong, he is smart, he has a good punch, he has good conditioning. He is a good fighter, but I am better.
“I want to show my fans great fights. I am interested in fighting the best boxers not the easy boxers. If it is not interesting to me, then it is not interesting to people.
“I think this is going to be the best fight of the year because I know Vergil. He is strong and I am strong too.
“I am feeling great. I wanted this fight because Vergil is a great fighter. Vergil was the best fighter in the 147 division and in the 154 division he is one of the best fighters. He is now ranked number one on BoxRec. I wanted a fight with him because he is one of the best boxers.”
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