The last time we saw 2019 The Ring magazine Prospect of the Year, Vergil Ortiz Jr., he was mercifully beating down over matched Brad Solomon to win his 15th consecutive fight by knockout last December.
With a ferocious but smooth entertaining crowd-pleasing style, Ortiz is starting to get compared more and more to legendary Hall of Famer, Felix Trinidad, and former super welterweight star, Fernando Vargas, with each knockout victory. Thanks to COVID-19, Ortiz’ blazing momentum was brought to a screeching halt as his March fight was cancelled a week before fight night.
Now, four months later and with a pandemic in full effect, Ortiz has been tabbed to be the poster boy for Golden Boy Promotions’ official return to boxing when he main event’s their first card since the pandemic tomorrow night against veteran fighter, Samuel Vargas. When you add in the fact that Golden Boy has pound-for-pound king, Canelo Alvarez, and rising sensation, Ryan Garcia, in their stable, putting Ortiz is this big spot only highlights how high the Golden Boy brass is on Ortiz who is trending toward superstar status.
“It’s a big deal to be headlining the first Golden Boy/DAZN card since COVID-19 hit because although boxing has come back on other platforms, this is the first really good headlining fight that boxing has had since it returned,” Ortiz said. “I’m very excited that Golden Boy has the confidence in me that I’m going to deliver as I know Vargas is coming to fight and is going to want to show that he’s not just another opponent to add to my resume. This is the right fight to show I’m on the road to becoming one of the best and why people should tune into my fights.”
Ortiz (15-0) won’t be in the ring against a scrub as Vargas (31-5-2) has been in the ring with the who’s who of the welterweight division, but four of his five losses came to current or former champions: Errol Spence, Danny Garcia, Amir Khan and Luis Collazo. Despite the blemishes on his record, Vargas is the crafty, durable type opponent Ortiz needs as he inches closer to a title shot.
Unlike most fighters in his position, the hard-hitting Texan is focused on the process and letting his skills get his name out instead of using social media platforms to promote himself which is the current route most up and coming fighters take these days.
“I’m game to deliver every time I go out to fight and this a type of fight I must turn it up a notch because my skills and performance will stick in the minds of all the people watching if I go out and do what I do,” Ortiz said. “It feels good to know Golden Boy has the confidence in me to deliver. So fans please tune into DAZN on July 24 and watch me do what I do best and hopefully get another knockout.”
