Vergil Ortiz Jr will be making his debut at 154 on January 6th against a 147-pound fighter, Fredrick Lawson, in a twelve round main event fight live on DAZN at the Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas.
Golden Boy obviously wasn’t going to risk putting Ortiz Jr. in with a quality fighter after a year and a half of inactivity since his last fight in August 2022.
With that said, is it asking too much to have Ortiz Jr fight a junior middleweight? If you’re going to fight at 154, why on earth are you fighting an old welterweight like Lawson? It does not compute!
What’s the point of facing a 147-pounder if you’re now campaigning at 154? By Ortiz Jr fighting a welterweight, he’s delaying the inevitable. If he’s too big to make 154 without draining himself to the point where he gets that health condition again, he needs to move up – again.
Vergil Ortiz Jr. was supposed to challenge WBA secondary welterweight champion Eimantas Stanionis last July, but he reportedly fainted while trying to make weight.
Ortiz hasn’t fought since August of last year, as he’s missed a lot of time with COVID and a muscle tissue problem. He had a long case of COVID and knows how that’ll affect him long term.
Hopefully, Ortiz Jr. doesn’t drain himself to the point where he passes out or has another reoccurrence of Rhabdomyolysis while getting down in weight for the contest.
Boxing fans are waiting for Ortiz Jr. to pull out because many of them question whether he’s physically cut out to be an athlete due to his health problems.
If Ortiz can’t make the 154-lb limit, he needs to move up to 160 or 168 because the seven-lb cushion that he has in moving up from 147 might not be enough.
Ortiz has basically been a junior middleweight melting down to welterweight for years, so at this point, he should at least be fighting someone from the 154-lb division instead of an aging 147-pounder with three losses against lesser opposition.
Lawson’s three defeats:
Kevin Bizier
Juan Ruiz
Charles Hatley
“He’s got the heart and dedication and is on a mission to be a world title holder,” said Oscar De La Hoya about Ortiz. “I know he will make a statement in this new division against Fredrick Lawson. Golden Boy will be starting 2024 with a bang, and we’re proud to have Vergil launch our action-packed boxing schedule for the year.”
Vergil Ortiz Jr’s best wins have come against Maurice Hooker, Egidijus Kavaliauskas, Michael McKinson, Samuel Vargas and Mauricio Herrera. The fight with ‘Mean Machine’ Kavaliauskas was a close call for Vergil Jr, as he was staggered badly and close to being knocked out.
The co-main event is serving up a spicy dish with the U.K.’s Ohara “Two Tanks” Davies (25-2, 18 KOs) squaring off against El Tigre from Venezuela, Ismael Barroso (24-4-2, 22 KOs). This fight, a do-over from the original December 2 date, is a 12-round brawl for the WBA Super Lightweight Interim World Championship, courtesy of TGB Promotions.
Making waves as Golden Boy’s new kid on the block, El Monte’s Arnold Barbosa Jr. (28-0, 10 KOs) is set to duke it out in a 10-round super lightweight clash. Also throwing punches on the DAZN undercard is Ukraine’s Sergiy Derevyanchenko (14-5, 10 KOs), gearing up for a 10-round tussle. The foes for these two fighters are still under wraps, to be unveiled in the coming weeks.
And for the appetizer, Golden Boy Boxing Prelims: Ortiz vs. Lawson will be streaming live on YouTube and Facebook Watch. Featuring the undefeated NABF Welterweight champ Raul “El Cugar” Curiel (13-0, 11 KOs), he’s ready to rumble in a 10-round scuffle against Elias Diaz (12-1, 7 KOs) from National City, California. In an eight-round cruiserweight clash, Tristan Kalkreuth (12-1, 9 KOs) is back to trade blows after a jaw-dropping fifth-round KO last October. He’s up against Tacoma, Washington’s own Marquise Weston (15-2-1, 8 KOs).
Also on the prelims menu, Santa Ana’s Johnny “Sugar Cane” Cañas (2-0, 1 KO) is set for a four-round super lightweight scrap. Kicking off the night and stepping into the pro ring for the first time, Dallas’ Emiliano Gandara is braced for a four-round super welterweight bout. Their opponents? Stay tuned – those details are coming soon.
Vergil Ortiz Jr., a top contender in the super welterweight division, shared his excitement: “Hey everyone, big thanks to those who’ve always had my back, especially my dad, my team, Coach Robert, Coach Hector, and the whole Golden Boy crew. This sport is my life, and now we’re at a really big moment. Weigh-in’s tomorrow, and let me tell you, if you’re still thinking about tickets, just go get them! This fight’s definitely on, and I’ve never felt better.”
Frederick “General Okunka” Lawson, another super welterweight fighter, expressed his gratitude and anticipation: “I’ve got to start with a huge thanks to God, Golden Boy Promotions, and DAZN for making this happen. We’ve had a solid training camp, and we’re ready. There’s been talk about how this fight might play out, but we’ve got a few surprises up our sleeves. Can’t wait for Saturday!”
Bernard Hopkins, part of Golden Boy, kept it simple: “We’re always trying to outdo ourselves. Last year was great, and we’re pumped for this year. Like Oscar always says, the future starts now.”
Oscar De La Hoya, the big boss of Golden Boy, talked about their ambitious plans: “2023 was a knockout year for us. We set the standard in boxing, had the biggest PPV event, and brought up more rising stars than anyone. 2024 looks even more promising, starting with this weekend’s fight. Since the start of the year, I’ve been saying it’s all about the future. With fighters like Vergil, Barboza, and Davies fighting on Saturday, we’re looking at a lot of our boxers going for world titles. It’s the most pumped I’ve been for boxing in a while.”
The event, Ortiz Jr. vs. Lawson, is a 12-round fight brought to you by Golden Boy Promotions. It’s happening on Saturday, January 6 at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, and you can catch it live on DAZN. Davies vs. Barroso is also on the card, fighting for the WBA Super Lightweight Interim World Championship, courtesy of Golden Boy and TGB Promotions.
If you’re looking to grab tickets for Ortiz Jr. vs. Lawson, they’re up for grabs now. Prices range from $50 to $200, not including fees. There’s also a limited number of special Golden Boy VIP Experience tickets, complete with cool merch and fight night perks. You can buy both standard and VIP tickets at AXS.com or GoldenBoyPromotions.com.
Ortiz Jr. vs. Lawson Start Times
Q: When’s the big showdown between Ortiz Jr. and Lawson? A: Just know that the weigh-in is on January 5, at the stroke of 2 a.m. BST (or 9 p.m. ET for the night owls). The actual gloves-off, no-holds-barred action happens on January 6, starting 8 pm ET (1 am if you’re across the pond).
Q: Can I binge-watch the weigh-in on DAZN like my favorite TV series? A: Absolutely! The weigh-in will be streamed live on the DAZN Boxing YouTube channel and for DAZN subscribers. It’s like Netflix but with more muscles and less drama.
Q: Speaking of watching, where can I catch the fight? A: The Ortiz Jr. vs. Lawson fight is a global affair, streaming live on DAZN in over 200 countries. For the tech-savvy in Argentina, Chile, and Colombia, remember, it’s app first, web browser second.
Q: I’m a tech gadget collector. Will my device support DAZN? A: If you’ve got it, DAZN probably supports it. From iPhones to PlayStations, and those smart TVs that eavesdrop on your living room conversations, DAZN is available on a multitude of devices.
Q: Where’s this epic showdown taking place? A: The Theatre at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. It’s like Broadway, but for people who prefer punches over musical numbers.
Q: Ticket talk, please. How do I get in on this action? A: Want to witness muscle and might in person? Grab your tickets at AXS.com. It’s like Ticketmaster, but for people who enjoy watching two grown men in a ring.
Q: Give me the scoop on Ortiz Jr. and Lawson. A: Vergil Ortiz Jr., an American powerhouse born on March 25, 1998, stands tall at 5′ 10″ and boasts a 70″ reach with an undefeated record of 19-0 (all KOs, because why not?). Fredrick Lawson, hailing from Ghana, born on August 12, 1989, is an inch shorter but matches the reach and comes with a respectable record of 30-3 (22 KOs).
Q: What’s on the menu for the fight night? A: A full course of boxing goodness:
- Ortiz Jr. vs. Lawson for the main dish, 12 rounds of junior middleweight mastery.
- The appetizer features Ohara Davies and Ismael Barroso, dueling for the vacant WBA interim junior welterweight title.
- Side dishes include Arnold Barboza Jr. vs. Xolisani Ndongeni and Raul Curiel vs. Elias Diaz.
- And for a light snack, Johnny Canas and Emiliano Gandara are stepping into the ring.
Weights:
- Vergil Ortiz Jr. 156 vs. Fredrick Lawson 152.4
- Ohara Davies 140 vs. Ismael Barroso 139.6
- Arnold Barboza Jr. 139.4 vs. Xolisani Ndongeni 139.2
- Raul Curiel 146.8 vs. Elias Diaz 146.2
- Emiliano Gandara 161.6 vs. Isaac Matamoros 164