Vergil Ortiz Sr. reflected on his son's swift victory on a Saturday night, characterizing Vergil Ortiz Jr.’s approach to boxing as centered around “violence.” The junior middleweight, competing at a catchweight of 156 pounds, swiftly dispatched former world title challenger Thomas Dulorme in the first round during an event in Fresno, California. This marked Ortiz Jr.’s second first-round knockout of the year, having previously defeated Fredrick Lawson in mere seconds earlier in January.
However, the spotlight quickly shifted from his swift victory to his next big challenge. Ortiz Jr. is scheduled to face Tim Tszyu on August 3 in Los Angeles, a matchup that has stirred considerable excitement within the boxing community. Despite Tszyu’s recent split decision loss to Sebastian Fundora, he remains one of the most thrilling fighters in the junior middleweight division. The anticipation surrounding the Ortiz-Tszyu fight suggests it could be a contender for fight of the year, with some even labeling it “the real main event” overshadowing other bouts like Terence Crawford-Israil Madrimov.
Speaking just after his son's win, Ortiz Sr. discussed the pressure Vergil faces with such high-profile fights looming. “Ever since Vergil was a kid, when there's pressure, he doesn’t even see it,” he stated. “Vergil always performs—no matter what, he never fails.” The proposal for the Tszyu fight, as Ortiz Sr. detailed, went through him, and all it took was a simple affirmation from his son to seal the deal. He expressed great enthusiasm for the upcoming bout, emphasizing, “It’s not just a boxing match; it’s a man’s fight, it’s a violent fight. One thing about Vergil is, his expertise really is violence. The more chaotic it gets, the more comfortable he feels.”
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