“I Am Already the Number One in the WBO”- Vergil Ortiz Jr Calls Out Terence Crawford

Terence Crawford will reportedly return to defend his WBO belt against Shawn Porter in a fight that the governing body has ordered. Before that, ‘Bud’ was left without a viable contender. However, the official declaration of his next fight might have urged several more boxers to dive in. Although Porter seems to top the race at this point, Crawford shall still be ready for several more contenders ahead.

17-0 as a pro, the WBO International 147 lbs champion, Vergil Ortiz Jr., has expressed his interest in facing Crawford. Preparing for a showdown against Egidijus Kavaliauskas on August 14, Ortiz Jr. believes that he will win the fight and then target Crawford.

Speaking with Fight Hub TV, Ortiz Jr. said, “I think I am already the number one in the WBO. If the Porter fight happens, I don’t wanna weigh it down unnecessarily, but hopefully, I can be Crawford’s next fight.”

Terence Crawford is still levels above the 23-year-old Vergil Ortiz Jr. ‘Bud’ has knocked out 28 of his 37 opponents and has won every single fight in his professional career. However, Crawford may opt to avoid Vergil Ortiz Jr. as there are many more potential matchups in store for him.

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The welterweight division is loaded with several big names, including the likes of Manny Pacquiao, Errol Spence Jr., and others. That said, Ortiz Jr. is just a rising star. Although he has shown championship abilities so far, a showdown against Terence Crawford can still be a bridge too far.

Terence Crawford- Is he the best welterweight?

The unscratched southpaw puncher is undoubtedly one of the absolute pound-for-pound bests of the era. Hence, ‘Bud’ has always garnered top-level matchups. Names like Errol Spence Jr and Manny Pacquiao were floated as potential opponents for Terence Crawford. Unfortunately, these fights didn’t come to fruition.

While none of it worked out, Shawn Porter might fill the void now. ‘ShowTime’ is a veteran of the division and a former champion. However, he still appears to be an underdog before the mighty Terence Crawford who can stake claim to the tag- best active welterweight.

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