Vergil Ortiz Jr. still intends to have a big 2020 campaign—whenever his 2020 schedule is permitted to begin.
The unbeaten welterweight knockout artist was universally hailed as 2019 Prospect of the Year, with March 28 to have served as his official first post-graduate affair. Ortiz Jr. was due to face Samuel Vargas atop a DAZN-streamed card from The Forum in Inglewood, California, only for the event to serve among the first wave of boxing shows to have been canceled in the wake of the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Having fought four times in 2019, the plan was for a similarly paced run and ending the year with a title shot. The former obviously won’t happen, but the desire remains for the long game to remain in place.
“I really hope so, I know I can be ready this year no matter when my first back is,” Ortiz Jr. (15-0, 15KOs) told BoxingScene.com. “This setback, not being able to get that fight in March, it could push things back. I’m just going to keep my head up and stay ready.
“If it still happens this year, I’ll be ready. If everything has to get pushed back, then I’ll just stay ready for that world title shot next year.”
Ortiz Jr. continues to grind even as he—along with much of the world in present day—remains in isolation amidst a global health crisis. The most optimistic plans calls for stateside boxing events to return in June at the earliest, although it remains a fluid situation as positive COVID-19 test cases continue to escalate at an alarming rate.
Should the year wind up being condensed to even as much as a six-month calendar, there exists the stronger likelihood of careers being advanced earlier than anticipated. That’s not of any concern to Ortiz Jr., who has already taken a mental note of the type of interim opposition he could face that could pave the way to a world title shot.
“I want to go after all the champions,” Ortiz Jr. insists. “To do that, knowing I can’t fight as much as I wanted to due to all of this, there will be that certain type of fighter I have to beat that opens the door. If we still get the Samuel Vargas fight in, then next I’d really like to face someone like (former two-division champ) Danny Garcia or (former welterweight title challenger) Yordenis Ugas.
“Those two guys are legit contenders. If I beat one of them, nobody can say that I’m still too young, too inexperienced. There won’t be any more excuses for the champions to not fight me.”
If the first fight back has to be a statement maker for the rising contender, then the decision becomes that much easier to make on whom he would target.
“Honestly, I would pick me and Danny Garcia,” Ortiz Jr. insists. “The one thing about Danny once he’s in that ring, he doesn’t back down from anybody. He’s a very tough fighter, a world champion in two divisions. I remember one of the interviews they did with (former unified welterweight titlist Keith Thurman), he said after his fight with Danny he couldn’t even lift his arms.
“That’s the type of fight I want. I do feel like I’m ready. It’s a fight I need, to step up (to the title level). I’m open to it.”
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox
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