By Brian Webber: Vasyl Lomachenko and Jermaine Ortiz met today for the final press conference for their main event fight this Saturday night on ESPN at Madison Square Garden in New York.
The 5’8″ Ortiz (16-0-1, 8 KOs) towered over the shorter 5’7″ Lomachenko, appearing much taller than their listed heights. Lomachenko will need to find a way to deal with Ortiz’s height and reach because it’s going to be tough.
Ortiz is arguably a better fighter than anyone Lomachenko has fought since his loss to Teofimo Lopez, and he might even be better than him. Ortiz looked very impressive beating the 5’10” former WBO super featherweight champion Jamel Herring last May in his last fight.
“I can’t wait to come back on Saturday night to Madison Square Garden because it’s a special place for me,” said Vasyl Lomachenko during today’s press conference for his fight against Jermaine Ortiz on Saturday night.
“A lot of fights in Madison Square Garden, so it’s a lucky place for me. I want to bring a little bit of sporting attention to our country, and on Saturday and in Ukraine, it’ll be Sunday morning. For Ukrainian people, it’ll be a good emotion.
“Look, it’s a little bit different, sparring session and competition because our condition is not close to a high level and 100%,” said Lomachenko when asked what it was like sparring with Jermaine Ortiz in the past.
“I’m focused on my job; I’m focused on my boxing. It’s my dream; it’s my goal,” said Lomachenko when asked how badly he wants to capture all the titles at 135. “I don’t want to talk about the future. I just want to fight on Saturday night, and after, we can talk about the future.”
“It means everything to me. This is something that I manifested into my life and eventually fighting Lomachenko, and the time has come,” said Jermaine Ortiz.
“I think Lomachenko is going to bring out the best Jermaine Ortiz. The fighter everyone around me in the gym and where I come from knows, and it’s going to be ‘The Technician,’ the real technician, come Saturday night.
“Of course, you have somebody else that is trying to take your head off, and trying to hurt you and trying to take away from your family. It’s definitely a different mindset when you enter that ring.
It’s a dog fighting the lion’s den. No, things were the same as usual, business as usual. It was just another day in the office for any other fight,” said Ortiz when asked if training camp was different for this fight compared to others.
“Here at the mecha of boxing at Madison Square Garden, it’s everything I’ve asked for, and God has delivered it. I learned a lot of things about myself and to try and make improvements.
“Going back to the basics and the fundamentals and mastering those skills. On Saturday night, you’re going to find the best Jermaine Ortiz; I tell you that.”