Tim Tszyu Welcomes A Fight With Vergil Ortiz Jr. – ‘Let’s Do It’
Tim Tszyu has welcomed a fight with Vergil Ortiz Jr. after the latter called him out following his win over Fredrick Lawson.
Ortiz Jr. fought above 147 for the first time in his career at a contracted weight of 147. He could no longer make welterweight after he collapsed in the run-up to his scheduled fight with Eimantas Stanionis. The fight was called off as Ortiz returned at the new weight over the weekend. Any doubts over his return were put aside as he stopped Lawson in the first round. The stoppage drew a lot of controversy, with the referee, Tony Weeks, coming under fire for ending it too early. But in any event, Ortiz took his record to 20-0, with 20 stoppages. In the aftermath, he wanted Tszyu.
Ortiz Jr. On Tszyu
“I was hurting him with all the jabs. [And] I wasn’t really putting anything behind it. You guys know what I’m about, I love to fight. I wish I could have kept going. [And] I need the rounds, but hey, I was hurting him with the jab, I stunned him with the jab and I didn’t even land it that hard. I’m sorry. But I’m ready for anyone out there. There’s a lot of fighters that I want to fight. [And] I know people would love to see this fight, so Tim Tszyu, with all respect, I would love to fight you. I think you’re a hell of a fighter, and let’s make it happen,” Ortiz Jr. said
Tszyu is the current WBO junior middleweight champion, a belt he received after Jermell Charlo was stipped. Charlo was scheduled to face Tszyu, who had been his mandatory for over a year. But the American moved up to 168 pounds to face Canelo Alvarez for his undisputed title, as the WBO stripped him and elevated Tszyu to a full champion.
He is also undefeated, with a record of 24-0 with 17 knockouts. His last fight was a unanimous decision win over Brian Mendoza. His two biggest wins have been against Tony Harrison and Jeff Horn, showing that he is at the world level even if he was given the belt without fighting for it. And the Australian has welcomed the chance to face Ortiz.
Tszyu Reacts
“Yo, Vergil Ortiz, welcome to the ’54 club. I’m always keen for a modern-day classic. I knew you would be, man. Let’s do it,” Tszyu stated
Things look bright for Ortiz, as Oscar De La Hoya has big plans for his fighter. The aim is to get Ortiz a world title, given that it is the last piece in the puzzle. Facing Tszyu would help achieve that, as De La Hoya backed his fighter as one of the best.
“Tim Tszyu, anybody at 154 … Ortiz will even go to Australia and do it. I’ve got to do my homework and see who Tim’s promoter is, see what the situation is. We’ll take it from there. “(But) whatever Team Vergil wants we’ll make happen. “We’re behind him a thousand per cent. Vergil is a fighter. One of those old school thinking fighters who, to be the best you have to beat the best. To be world champion, you travel the world. I think Vergil, right now, is the best fighter on the planet … at 154, at any weight class,” De La Hoya stated
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