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‘I’m Here for Greatness’: Vergil Ortiz Jr. Plans to Fight and Beat Every 154-Pound Star

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RIVERSIDE, Calif. – It’s no longer possible to avoid the spotlight. It’s no longer possible to be avoided by others.

Vergil Ortiz has no time to waste.

With an impressive record of 21-0 with 21 knockouts, Texan Ortiz returns to the ring for the third time this year on Saturday night at the Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas when he takes on interim World Boxing Council junior middleweight champion Serhiy Bohachuk (24-1, 23 KOs) on DAZN.

Ortiz is plagued by illness, which saw him fight just once in 30 months before returning in January, and it has robbed him of the momentum he built so impressively, shedding the likes of Mauricio Herrera, Antonio Orozco, Maurice Hooker and Egidijus Kavaliauskas.

Ahead of him are the massive fights that the 26-year-old has been fantasizing about.

On Saturday night, before Bohachuk’s training session, Ortiz was watching the Riyadh Season-sponsored American debut of modern four-division champion Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) when he heard Saudi Arabia’s Turki Alalshikh say that if Canelo Alvarez wasn’t “shrewd” enough to accept the offer to fight Crawford, Ortiz would be called up.

“Enter me,” Ortiz wrote to Alalshikh on channel “X.”

He then began running ahead of Crawford’s main event and ran seven miles as Crawford fought all 12 rounds, earning a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over retiring Uzbek champion Israil Madrimov.

With Crawford turning 37 next month, the decade-younger Ortiz will enter the fight with Bohachuk, giving him a chance to earn what he wants: a spot for WBC champion Sebastian Fundora or Crawford, with good support from Alalshikh.

“This has been a long wait, coming since I was five years vintage. All the blood, sweat and tears I’ve put into this are starting to come to fruition,” Ortiz said.

Indeed, in his last appearance, Ortiz delivered a blistering body blow and knocked out veteran Thomas Dulorme in the first round of their 154-pound fight in Fresno, California, three months after he defeated Frederick Lawson by first-round knockout.

Lawson and Dulorme have fought a combined 66 career fights, including 362 rounds, but against Ortiz, who is enjoying a fresh start, they come across as outclassed “opponents.”

“This is a modern chapter in my career,” he told BoxingScene during a lengthy interview after training at his trainer Robert Garcia’s gym. “Fighting in Las Vegas is invigorating, and doing it in a legendary venue like Mandalay Bay, where there have been so many good fights… this one will be no exception.”

Ortiz’s enthusiasm for the sport is undeniable. He was there in the Dulorme match when he saw an opening for a kidney shot, delivered it ruthlessly and smiled as his veteran fell to the canvas.

“To see everything we’ve worked for work is special because it shows me that I’m not doing this for nothing and hopefully it proves to everyone that I belong at the top of this sport,” Ortiz said. “I’m here for greatness.”

Ortiz spent so much time on the sidelines due to health issues related to rhabdomyolysis when he fought current champion Eimantas Stanionis at welterweight that he said he avoids thinking about it.

“Completely the past,” he said.

But it could open his mind to the depth of the 154-pound division, which features champions Crawford and Fundora, contenders Tim Tszyu, Errol Spence Jr. and Madrimov, and Bohachuk, a Ukrainian who has defeated five of his last six opponents. Ryan Garcia also called out his Golden Boy Promotions stablemate.

“I really want to fight everyone,” Ortiz said. “We have a future fight with (fellow Texan and former three-belt welterweight champion) Errol Spence at Cowboys Stadium that I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. I’d like to fight Crawford because he’s the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter right now and I’d like to test myself against him.

“Guys like Fundora, a massive, skinny fighter. But I’m counting on Spence, because I want that fight at (AT&T) Stadium. And I’ve sparred with Madrimov before, he’s talented. Crawford is just a different beast.”

Ortiz had previously committed to fighting former champion Tszyu at a recent event in Los Angeles, but Tszyu suffered an ugly cut to his head during his split decision loss to Fundora on March 30 and was forced to withdraw from the fight.

“Different backgrounds, different styles — it’s crazy that it’s like having a smorgasbord of opponents to choose from,” Ortiz said. “I’m not taking (the Ryan Garcia fight) too seriously right now, but nothing is out of the question. I’m not looking too far in the future (beyond Tszyu). It could still happen, and it would be like one of those HBO ‘Legendary Nights’ fights that you’ll never forget.”

Many of these fights have looked like they could be battles that dragged into the later rounds, but Ortiz knows that if he wants to show the tenacity he is capable of in the sport, he will need to pace himself effectively, continuing to look for early stoppages as the competition heats up.

“Physically and mentally, these (wars) take something out of you,” Ortiz said. “Shorter fights extend your career. I like shorter fights. I won’t force them. But I’m always ready for them.”

How does the fight with Bohachuk prepare him for all the carnage that lies ahead?

“The best thing I took from this experience is that he’s experienced… he’s won almost all of his fights by knockout, so it’s a measuring stick for me to see how far I am and what I need to pick up,” Ortiz said. “It’s a good benchmark, a real test that I need to pass.

“And pass the exam with flying colors.”

Serhiy Bohachuk is fighting for his country

https://www.boxingscene.com/serhii-bohachuk-fighting-title-his-country–185201

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BrianNorman Jr. prepares his father for a shocking comeback after 14 years

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Norman vs Hackett

Undefeated twenty-four-year-old welterweight world champion Brian Norman Jr. he has been coached by his father, Brian Norman Sr., since he was seven years elderly. They changed course and Junior is now training Senior for his February 15 boxing match against Greg Hackett in Atlanta, Georgia.

The long-running feud between Brian Sr. and Hackett came to a head in November when the two participated on Coach Malachi’s Tru Media podcast. Things got heated when Norman told Hackett, “As an opponent, you were getting $400 to basically lose. You lose for a living.

Shortly thereafter, it was decided that they would lace them up and settle them in the ring. The event will be broadcast live on BLK Prime PPV.

Norman (17-11, 5 KO) from Atlanta and Greg Hackett (3-23) from Philadelphia will decide the result in a six-round lightweight heavyweight fight.

“I’m trained by a world champion who I trained to become that world champion,” Brian Sr. said. “He has the knowledge that I gave him. Now he can see this vision of what he is telling me, which is the same thing I was telling him. At the same time, he can visualize himself through me, observing how I respond to instructions. Ultimately, he helps himself as much, if not more, than he helps me.”

So, Junior, you’re getting him back after everything Dad’s been through all these years?

“Has it been a wonderful journey so far,” Brian Norman Jr. said. “I see a lot of similarities between me and him, mainly the drive for self-determination and the desire. It was a wonderful experience to witness. There were a few times when Dad got tired and wanted to stop and I shouted “no, two more rounds.” I have to push him, you know? We don’t like to lose – we’re both very competitive and I see that in him all day long.

“I like the way this fight turned out and it’s good for boxing,” Hackett said. “There’s no animosity here, but I’m going to hate him for eighteen minutes of our fight. There are many people who say they don’t want to go there, but we will go there. I’ve been training since the day it happened. It’s going to be a good fight. I think he’ll push it because he’s a bigger guy, but skill-wise I’m the better player. I just have to be prepared for whatever he brings to the table and make him pay for his mistakes. I will win this fight, whether by knockout or decision. I will win this fight.”

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Deontay Wilder: Warning against throwing in the towel on the fat suit myth

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Deontay Wilder is preparing to return to boxing this year and will face an opponent who has lost eleven times in Curtis Harper.

Wilder is on a losing streak, winning just once in his last five fights. The first of these four defeats remains a huge bone of contention. Wilder exploded with emotion after a one-sided rematch in February 2020 at the MGM Grand.

The “Brown Bomber” blamed everyone but himself for what happened when Fury beat him and put him through seven painful rounds. WBN witnessed the fight in the smoke-filled Garden Arena. Despite the sight, it was clear that Fury was the much better fighter that night.

Fury brought Steward SugarHill into his corner to make him more aggressive. The tactic paid off brilliantly as he regained the world heavyweight title. However, this was not what became the story of the event. Unfortunately, Deontay Wilder took that away from the “Gypsy King” with his post-fight accusations.

Wilder’s main target under his deal was Mark Breland. His longtime coach threw in the towel when the Tuscaloosa player came under massive fire and stared at his feet. But that’s not where Breland went wrong. Wilder’s problem was that the 1984 Olympic gold medalist ignored his previous instructions and never used a towel to end one of his fights.

That’s why Wilder was so irate, as he later told Brian Custer in “The Last Stand.”

“I have been preaching for five years. Never give up on Deontay Wilder,” said the former WBC champion.

The 36-year-old believed he could detonate on Fury at any time due to his one-punch KO skills.

“Deontay Wilder is never out until this is all over, because of my heart, my will and the strength I have. And yes, I really feel like he was part of it and it’s not my place to explain that to anyone. I said my peace and let out my emotions. I said it. People can believe what they want.”

Another story that got out of hand was the massive suit excuse. Wilder pointed out that he only mentioned something behind the scenes and someone in the media blew it up.

“They actually overheard something in the locker room,” Wilder explained. “I’m not justifying the costume. The costume was a bit massive. But it wasn’t enough to make me feel the way I felt in the ring. It wasn’t enough that I had no legs.

Strangely, however, Wilder blamed this part on someone who potentially gave him a demanding time. He will strive to ensure that the decision never falls on Malik Scott, who replaced Breland as coach.

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Ryan Rozicki is waiting for Badou Jack’s consent to mandatory cooperation with the WBC

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Badou Jack Rozicki Mikaelian WBC

The World Boxing Council (WBC) ordered world cruiserweight champion Badou “The Ripper” Jack (20-1-1, 19 KO) to make a mandatory title defense against Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (20-1), number 1 in the WBC ranking – 1, 19 KOs).

If both camps fail to successfully negotiate an agreement, the WBC will organize a tender on February 4, followed by the Jack vs. Rozicki. Rozicki’s promoter, Three Lions Promotions, immediately sent Team Jacek an offer to promote the fight in Canada last week.

“We are waiting for their counteroffer,” explained promoter Dan Otter of Three Lions Promotions. “Boxing has had a huge resurgence in Canada and Ryan is leading the way. He is one of the most electrifying and hardest-hitting fighters in boxing, definitely in the cruiserweight division. He wants the WBC green belt and ultimately the unification of the division. Ryan will fight Jack anywhere for the belt.”

29-year-old Rozicki, born in Sydney (Nova Scotia) and living in Hamilton (Ontario), fought 22 professional fights against 21 different opponents (twice against Yamil Alberto Peralta), stopping 19 of the 20 opponents he defeated. an eye-opening 95-KO percentage.

Jack, 41, was a 2008 Olympian representing his native Sweden. He is a three-division world champion, as well as the WBC super middleweight and World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight heavyweight title holder. Jack has a record of 5-0-2 (2 KO) in world championship fights.

“We respect Jack and I don’t want to sound disrespectful,” Otter added, “but he’s over 40 years vintage and has been relatively inactive for two years (only one fight). He brings a lot of experience and respect to the ring, but he will fight a newborn defender with a lot of power. Jack is going to struggle and honestly, I don’t think he’ll make it past the first few rounds.”

Ryan Rozicki is on a mission to become the first Canadian cruiserweight world champion.

The next move is Badou Jack’s.

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