Vergil Ortiz Jr. made his Grand Arrival today in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, for the title defense of his WBC interim junior middleweight belt against Israil Madrimov (10-1-1, 7 KOs) this Saturday, February 22nd, at the Kingdom Arena. Ortiz (22-0, 21 KOs) wants to put on a “good show” for the fans.
This is Vergil Jr’s chance to show that he’s the #1 guy in the 154-lb division by beating the former WBA champion Madrimov better than Terence Crawford did last August. Crawford went through hell in winning a very close 12-round decision but took a lot of facial damage, making him look like the loser.
Ortiz Jr., 26, will need to show a different facet of his game than what he displayed in his last fight against Serhii Bohachuk on August 10th last year because Madrimov is a lot harder to hit. He’ll make Vergil pay if he walks forward, winging power shots all night.
Riyadh Arrival
“I’m ready to put on a good show,” said Vergil Ortiz Jr. during today’s Grand Arrival in Riyadh. “It’s a first title defense against a very good opponent. It doesn’t get better than that. I feel good at this weight. I’m willing to stay here for a long time. If an opportunity comes up at 160, we’ll take it, too, but we’ll see what the future holds.
“I feel honored to be chosen to display my skills in Riyadh. Me and Crawford are different fighters, so different approaches mean different chins in the armor. We always find a way,” said Ortiz.
It’s going to be interesting to see if Vergil Jr. can change his fighting style enough to win a decision. He’s not going to knock out Madrimov because this guy is too technically talented, and he’s a stronger fighter than the 21 fighters that Ortiz Jr. stopped during his career. Golden Boy has kept Vergil Jr. well-protected during his career, mostly matching him against middle-of-the-road opposition.
“This is a tough challenge for Vergil Ortiz,” said Ade Oladipo to DAZN Boxing about WBC interim junior middleweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jr. facing former WBA champ Israil Madrimov on Saturday night in Riyadh.
“It is a tough challenge and Bohachuk was a tough challenge. The thing about Vergil Ortiz is he learned from that fight. He got dropped twice,” said Sergio Mora about Vergil Jr’s last fight against former WBC interim 154-lb champion Serhii Bohachuk on August 10th last year in Las Vegas. Bohachuk knocked Ortiz Jr. down twice, beat him up, and appeared to win the fight, but the Nevada judges gave it to Vergil Jr. He chose not to give Bohachuk a rematch.
“He said it was a slip, but we know he got dropped. We want to see people that are accustomed to doing the punishing to get something in return to see how they react to see how they’re going to face that adversity.”
Bohachuk dropped Vergil Ortiz Jr. twice in their fight in Las Vegas last August, and he protested both knockdowns, saying they were slips. The referee didn’t buy it, and the replays showed that they were from punches. It was a nightmarish performance for Ortiz Jr, and he was fortunate to be given the decision.
“He will be facing adversity against Madrimov, and it’s not going to be because of power and size. It’s going to be because of footwork and angles. That’s what Madrimov. Ortiz is going to have to find a new chapter in himself, and that’s what makes this fight so intriguing,” said Mora.
“Ortiz says he wants all the tough challenges. He wants Terence Crawford. Then he said he wanted Boots, Ennis, and Fundora. On the plate now is Madrimov. That’s someone that talks the talk and walks the walk,” said Ade Oladipo.
Last Updated on 02/18/2025
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