In the biggest fight of his young and recently injury-plagued career, Virgil Ortiz Jr. answered almost every question that could be asked of him.
Despite absorbing a pair of flash knockdowns before rallying in the championship round, Ortiz (22-0, 21 KOs) edged determined Serhiy Bohachuk (24-2, 23 KOs) by majority decision to capture the WBC interim title at 154 pounds. Saturday at Michelob Ultra Arena in Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas. Two judges scored the fight 114-112 in favor of Ortiz and the third 113-113. CBS Sports scores it 114-113 for Ortiz.
Not only did the pair of exciting junior middleweights deliver non-stop two-way action in the center of the ring that could give Alexander Usyk-Tyson Fury a run for its money in fight of the year voting, it was incredible combinations and incredible rebounds. It was the ability shown by both that helped the 12-round fight gain instant classic status.
“I felt like I did enough,” Ortiz said. “I proved everybody wrong who said I can’t go to 154 pounds, I can’t go to 154 pounds and I can’t go the distance or fight before round 9. I read all these comments and that encouraged me. I The best in the world right now and I’m going to show it.”
Ortiz, a 26-year-old Dallas native, returned to the ring in 2024 for a pair of comeback knockouts after nearly two years of inactivity due to injury and illness. But after landing big punches throughout and leaning on everything from his gas tank to his recovery skills to violently outmaneuver the equally iron-chinned Bohachuk, Ortiz admitted that his critics had led him to success.
“As much as I want to say that people’s opinions don’t matter, they do,” Ortiz said. “I fight for the fans and the crowd is electrified to watch me fight. I take people’s opinions into account but, at the end of the day, I go out there and work hard.”
Despite landing punches over 12 rounds, Bohachuk was outshot 265 to 225, according to Compubox. Ortiz connected on 43% of his power shots and held a huge advantage (101 to 32) in landing body shots.
But in an incredibly close fight where every point mattered, Bohachuk made a strong case for the decision on the back of his pair of knockdowns.
Ortiz hit the canvas in Round 1 when a grazing right hand hit his ear. Initially, referee Harvey Dock ruled it a slip before the California State Athletics Commission, which had the power to use instant replay, ruling it a knockdown midway through the fight.
“I don’t think they should have been knocked down,” Ortiz said. “The second one, sure. But the first one, I felt like I hurt his leg or some shit but I have no excuses.”
Bohachuk, a 29-year-old native of Ukraine, relied on his jab and a sneaky right uppercut to make a splash in the middle rounds that was punctuated by a knockdown in round 8 on a short left hook. But Ortiz immediately got to his feet and came back to hit Bohachuk with a right hand that will likely be remembered as a strong contender of the year.
All three judges scored the round 10-8 for Bohachuk with two rounds in which he landed knockdowns. But the judges were Steve Weisfeld and Max DeLuca, who each scored eight of 12 rounds for Ortiz, who both claimed a close decision over the Mexican-American slugger in the final four rounds.
“I can say that anyone who watches this fight and understands boxing, knows what happened today,” Bohachuk said. “I feel great. I’m happy with how I fought. I feel like I won. I had two knockdowns, I mean, come on guys?”
Ortiz overcame small cuts on his nose and under his right eye and hit Bohachuk in each of the final two rounds. But despite absorbing heavy punishment, Bohachuk didn’t give up.
The win could move Ortiz into a showdown with undefeated Terence Crawford, who defeated Israel Madrimov to capture the WBO title at 154 pounds last week. It’s a fight that Turkish Alalshkih and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which sponsored Saturday’s Golden Boy fight card and have invested huge amounts of money in the sport, seem keen to make.
“Let’s do it, man. I’m ready for a challenge,” Ortiz said. “I think Bud is probably the pound-for-pound in the world and I want to show that I have what it takes to beat him.”
Leave a comment