Vergil Ortiz Jr. is riled up about getting passed over for a world title shot against WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov in favor of Terence Crawford.
Ortiz (21-0, 21 KOs) is ranked #1 WBA at 154. Still, instead of getting a title shot against Madrimov, Crawford has leapfrogged over him from 147 to get the opportunity to face the talented champion on August 3rd at the BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.
It’s believed that His Excellency wanted the Crawford vs. Madrimov fight to headline his August 3rd card. The fight made sense because it’s the best from 147 against the #1 talent at 154.
The Risk of Ortiz Jr. Headlining
Unfortunately for Ortiz Jr., he’s been dealing with too many health problems to keep his career going, and it would be too risky to use him as the headliner on such a prestigious card on August 3rd.
The last thing His Excellency would need is Vergil Ortiz Jr. to come up lame again with some health disorder and be forced to find a last-second replacement to face Madrimov. He’s not trustworthy right now after his constant health issues, which have sprung up left and right, stalling his career.
Vergil, 26, has to settle for challenging for the lesser prize against WBC interim 154-lb champion Serhii Bohachuk (24-1, 23 KOs) on August 10th in Las Vegas. That’s a fight that Ortiz Jr could lose because it’s the first world-class level fighter he’s fought in his career.
Ortiz’s limited experience at 154:
– Thomas Dulorme: 1-3 record in last four fights
– Fredrick Lawson: 2-2
It’s risky for Ortiz because Bohachuk can fight, and he’s not a non-contender like the two fighters that Vergil recently fought against: Thomas Dulorme and Fredrick Lawson. Ortiz wiped these two out in a pair of first-round knockouts in January and April this year.
Ortiz Jr.’s Desire to Fight Crawford
“Crawford is going to win. He’s going to win. That’s what’s going to happen,” said Vergil Ortiz Jr. to Fight Hub TV, predicting a victory for Terence Crawford in his title challenge against WBA Junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov on August 3rd in Los Angeles.
Ortiz Jr. could prove wrong with his prediction of Crawford beating Madrimov, but it’s understandable why he believes he’ll win. Crawford has had so much success at welterweight, beating faded older fighters like Kell Brook, Errol Spence, and Shawn Porter, that it’s natural for people like Vergil to view him as unbeatable.
“I feel I should have fought him [Madrimov], and Crawford fight me for the [WBA] belt. That would be bad a**,” said Vergil. “Like I said, I would love to fight Crawford, but I feel like it should be me fighting Madrimov and let me fight Crawford after.
Vergil Jr.’s Path to a Title Shot
Ortiz Jr. hasn’t done anything to deserve a title shot against Madrimov at 154, and it’s crazy that the World Boxing Association has installed him as their #1 contender after beating 34-year-old Thomas Dulorme, who had lost three out of four of his recent fights and was coming off a two-year layoff.
The other fighter Vergil beat at 154, 34-year-old Fredrick Lawson, had lost two out of his last four fights before his match against him in January.
“I just feel that’s the right thing to do. I don’t know if he [Crawford] has a thing with because he was the undisputed at 147. There could be something there. There could be something like that,” said Vergil Jr.
“I want it now, but if I have to wait, I have to wait. I want to fight the best. I don’t mind fighting the best. That’s what I’m here for,” said Vergil.
If Vergil Jr. wants a world title shot, he must get in line, beat Bohachuk, and try to earn his spot rather than expect it to be given to him on a silver platter after winning two fights at 154.
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