Although he had to walk the whole distance, Vergil Ortiz Jr. finally did it! The Grand Prairie-born boxer remains unbeaten. At the Michelob Ultra Arena, Ortiz Jr. defeated Serhii Bohachuk by a majority decision to become the new WBC (interim) light middleweight champion. The triumph might have caused a dent in his 100% KO record; nevertheless, it has also opened new pathways for the 26-year-old, who has been striving for his share of boxing glory for quite some time. Making his next move on the board during the post-fight in-ring interview, he called out Terence Crawford.

The much-sought-after fight between Crawford and Canelo Alvarez may have fallen off the radar. Thus, roads now appear open for a potential showdown between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and ‘Bud’ Crawford. It’s a matchup that has even caught the attention of His Excellency Turki Alalshikh. Ortiz Jr. returned to boxing after a break that lasted nearly 17 months. He announced his arrival with a quick dispatch of Frederick Lawson and Thomas Dulorme in the year’s first half. Needless to say, several renowned names from the boxing world took to their keyboards to pen their thoughts; some of them deemed the fight a modern-day classic!

Next, please: Vergil Ortiz Jr.

Perhaps both Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Serhii Bohachuk, who had previously sparred with each other, decided not to give the other any quarter. Both went after each other. Round after round, crowds in the arena witness a slugfest, which is sure to enter this year’s ‘fight of the year’s contention.

For the first time in his eight-year-old career, Ortiz Jr. suffered two knockdowns. But as rounds proceeded, he got busier, working his way up through precision body shots that slowed down his Ukrainian opponent. Full credit goes to Bohachuk for the fight he delivered, which led one judge to score the bout a 113-113 draw. However, for the remaining two, Ortiz Jr. had worked sufficiently to deserve a win: 114-112, 114-112.

The Grand Prairie-born boxer’s feat followed ‘Bud’ Crawford’s light middleweight debut on August 3. The Nebraskan defeated Israil Madrimov to secure the WBA and WBO (interim) titles. He has always expressed interest in a fight with Canelo Alvarez. But the Mexican icon doesn’t appear too keen on the matchup. His response and subsequent price quote for the Crawford fight eventually saw HE Alalshikh release a statement on parting ways with the Crawford-Alvarez project. With two new champions in the 154-pound weight class, a title unification seems like a logical move.

An electrifying duel

As far as the outcome of the fight is concerned, views fall on either side of the fence. While a few felt the fight could have been a draw, others don’t seem eager about Ortiz Jr.’s future moves, especially the Crawford duel. Let’s check what a few of them had to say.

Finding the fight very close and hard to dispute, Lou DiBella had nothing but praise for Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Serhii Bohachuk for putting on such a splendid show.

Highlighting the rarity of both Ortiz Jr. and Bohachuk going the full distance in a fight, Dan Rafael also couldn’t hide his excitement. Pointing out the scores awarded, he perhaps felt that the decision was fair, given how closely the fight was contested.

Naji Chill felt that maybe Vergil Ortiz Jr. went a bit overboard with the Terence Crawford callout. As much as he acknowledges the Texas-born boxer’s abilities, the ‘Cigar Talk’ host stressed, the fact remains that ‘Bud’ Crawford is at an entirely different level.

Ryan Garcia appeared critical of Vergil Ortiz Jr.’s performance. He argued that Ortiz Jr. shouldn’t go around acting invincible. The fight was close and exposed vulnerabilities in Ortiz Jr.’s performance, according to ‘KingRy’.

Serhii Bohachuk surprised everyone as he joined the conversation on X with his thoughts on his second career loss. The Ukrainian subtly expressed his disagreement with the outcome. He suggested that those who know the sport might have a better grasp on what happened in the ring.

Filled with excitement, long-time boxing supporter and actress Rosie Perez also voiced her appreciation for the intense and thrilling match. Like many, she also declared the fight a strong contender for the ‘Fight of the Year’ award.

Calling out the fight a ‘classic’, award-winning boxing writer Kevin Iole felt the match was too good. With both boxers coming out strong, despite the official results, in his view, neither Ortiz Jr. nor Bohachuk lost.

With the two wins of Ortiz Jr. and Crawford, the light middleweight division has become one of the most exciting to follow. Sebastian Fundora leads the pack to two titles. However, the roster eagerly awaits the return of Tim Tszyu to make for a mouthwatering set of matchups.

Vergil Ortiz Jr. will have to weigh up his options clearly. Though he won, it might have become clear to a discerning observer that a determined foe could potentially derail him. Crawford might also commence his campaign to claim an undisputed legacy in a record third division. So to face ‘Bud’ head-on might prove costly. Instead, a better idea would be to test himself against other champions like Fundora or Bakhram Murtazaliev. That will give him an opportunity to hone his skills and then go after the Nebraskan southpaw.

Do you agree with Vergil Ortiz Jr.’s callout of Terence Crawford?