By Jake Donovan

Assuming he makes weight on Friday, the show will finally go on for Vergil Ortiz, Jr.

The unbeaten knockout artist from Texas has cleared one major hurdle that prevented him from fighting just six weeks ago—passing all of his pre-fight medicals ahead of his clash with Jesus Valdez (23-4-1, 12KOs) this Saturday at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas.

It will mark the DAZN debut for Ortiz (11-0, 11KOs) who was supposed to enjoy that distinction last December at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden, on the undercard of Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez’s knockout win over Rocky Fielding.

Instead, a medical issue surrounding his having received Lasik eye surgery two months prior prompted the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) to deny him a license—leaving him without a fight and also a federal ID suspension. As much wasn’t at all lost on him during fight week ahead of Saturday’s show. 

“Hopefully, I really get to fight this time,” Ortiz quipped on Thursday during the final pre-fight press conference for Saturday’s show. His bout with Valdez comes in supporting capacity to Jaime Munguia’s third defense of his super welterweight title versus Japan’s Takeshi Inoue.

There’s still Friday’s weigh-in to get past, but—unlike his situation six weeks ago—Ortiz now has the opportunity to at least get to the scales.

“He passed his medicals; he’s good to go,” Greg Alvarez, head of Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) Combat Sports confirmed to BoxingScene.com. “When his name first came up to appear on this show, we couldn’t approve him or even review his record until his suspension was cleared by (NYSAC).

“Once that happened, we were able to approve—although of course he still had to meet and pass all of our qualifications to get a license in Texas.”

The bout will mark Ortiz’s third in his home state of Texas, the previous two occasions coming just outside of his Dallas hometown in 2016 and 2017, respectively. The rising prospect—who turns just 21 in March—has been a fixture on Canelo undercards since turning pro in 2016, having appeared on four cards in a row featuring the World middleweight champion until he was forced off of the December show in New York City.

His last ring appearance came in September, scoring a 2nd round knockout of Roberto Ortiz on the undercard of Alvarez’s win over Gennady Golovkin in their middleweight championship rematch. The 133 days between fights marks the longest “inactive” period of his young career, but figures to be kept busy with Golden Boy Promotions planning a big 2019 for its rising super lightweight.

“I have to say (Ortiz) is the top prospect, or at least one of the top prospects we have here at Golden Boy Promotions,” insists Oscar de la Hoya, Ortiz’s promoter. “He will most likely fight for a workd title (soon) if he continues on his path.

“We will be looking to keep him on this path, putting him in tough and hopefully get him to that world title by the end of the year.”