Vergil Ortiz Jr. says he would like to challenge for a world title against junior middleweight champions Tim Tszyu or Jermell Charlo if he’s victorious this Saturday night against Fredrick Lawson in their headliner at the Theater at the Virgin Hotel in Las Vegas.
Ortiz (19-0, 19 KOs) doesn’t want to waste any more time after being inactive for the better part of the last three years. He’s 25 now, and he wants to be active, being involved in the biggest fights against the world champions at 154.
Has Vergil Jr’s health problems ruined him?
It’s ambitious for Vergil Jr. to seek a title shot so soon after a year and a half of inactivity because you’d think he’d want at least one more tune-up fight before gunning for the 154-lb champions Tszyu & Charlo.
At this point, Ortiz Jr. should just hope that he can stay healthy and not come down with COVID or Rhabdomyolysis. We don’t know whether either of those things will pop up against Vergil Jr.
Even if they don’t, it remains to be seen if he’s still the same fighter he was before he came down with those problems. If Ortiz Jr. is just a shell of the fighter he was before dealing with those health problems, the last thing you’d want is for him to mix it up with Tszyu or Jermell.
The 34-year-old Lawson (33-3, 22 KOs) is the warm-up opponent for the Golden Boy promoted Ortiz Jr, and he’s expected to make quick work of him on Saturday night on DAZN. The card starts at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m./ PT.
Vergil Ortiz wants title shot next
“A little bit. I’m not going to say I don’t care about it, but if I go twelve rounds, so be it,” said Vergil Ortiz Jr. to Fighthype when asked if keeping his perfect 100% knockout record is important for him on Saturday night when he faces Fredrick Lawson on DAZN in Las Vegas.
“Of course, I want to fight the best,” said Ortiz when asked if he wants to challenge WBA/WBC junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo or WBO champ Tim Tszyu next. “It’s nothing personal. It’s a sport. I just want to fight the best and prove that I’m the best.”
It would be wise for Ortiz Jr. to test himself against two or three top junior middleweights before he jumps in the ring with the champions, Tszyu or Charlo. He’s been too inactive and sickly to be challenging for a world title after a warm-up fight with Lawson.
Options for Vergil Jr.
- Sebastian Fundora
- Erickson Lubin
- Israil Madrimov
- Xander Zayas
- Jesus Ramos
- Bakhram Murtazaliev
- Josh Kelly
“I’m a competitive person. It’s anyone. I just want to fight. He’s a good fighter; he’s an exciting fighter,” said Ortiz Jr. when asked about his thoughts on Tszyu. “It’s motivating just thinking that’s a potential fight, and I would love to fight him. He seems like a good guy, a good fighter. So why not? Let’s find out,” said Ortiz Jr. when asked, ‘What kind of war would that be?’