Vergil Ortiz Jr.


Vergil Ortiz Jr. is an American professional boxer. He has held the World Boxing Council interim super welterweight title since 2024.
As an amateur, he was a seven-time national champion and won the 110 pounds category at the USA's Junior Olympic National Championships in 2013. He was named the 2019 Prospect of the Year by The Ring magazine. Ortiz is known for his exceptional punching power, having scored all but two of his wins by knockout.

Professional career

Early career

Ortiz was victorious in his first six fights, winning all six by stoppage and only going past the first round in one of the six fights.

Ortiz Jr vs. Valenzuela

His seventh bout came on September 16, 2017, on the undercard of Canelo Álvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin I against Cesar Valenzuela, which he won by second-round technical knockout.

Ortiz Jr vs. Ortiz

After improving to 11-0, Ortiz appeared a year later on the undercard of Canelo Álvarez vs. Gennady Golovkin II to face Roberto Ortiz. Vergil Ortiz knocked down his opponent with a right hand early in the second round. Roberto got up, but he was still hurt. Vergil attacked him immediately and knocked him down again with a right hand that sent his opponent to one knee. Roberto Ortiz reached his feet again, but the referee deemed him unfit to continue, calling off the fight.

Rise up the ranks

Ortiz Jr vs. Orozco

Ortiz, who now had an unblemished record of 13-0, defeated Antonio Orozco by sixth-round technical knockout to win the vacant WBA Gold welterweight title on August 10, 2019, at The Theatre at Grand Prairie, Texas. He defended the title in his next fight against Brad Solomon on December 13, 2019, in Indio, California, winning by fifth-round knockout.

Ortiz Jr vs. Vargas

Ortiz was originally scheduled to face Samuel Vargas on March 28, 2020, at The Forum, Inglewood, California on the undercard of Canelo Álvarez vs. Billy Joe Saunders. However, following the postponement of the fight between Álvarez and Saunders due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the fight took place on July 24, 2020, at the same venue as Ortiz's previous fight against Brad Solomon. Ortiz won the fight by seventh-round technical knockout and retained his WBA Gold welterweight title.

Ortiz Jr vs. Hooker

Ortiz returned to the ring on March 20, 2021, beating Maurice Hooker with another seventh-round technical knockout in Fort Worth, Texas to win the vacant WBO International welterweight title. Hooker was ranked #8 by the WBO, #13 by the WBC and #15 by the IBF at welterweight.

Ortiz Jr vs. Kavaliauskas

On August 14, 2021, Ortiz defended the title against Egidijus Kavaliauskas. Kavaliauskas was ranked #5 by the WBO and #10 by the WBC at welterweight. Kavaliauskas, who became Ortiz's first opponent to last longer than seven rounds, suffered five knockdowns as Ortiz won by eighth-round technical knockout.

Ortiz Jr vs. McKinson

On August 6, 2022, Ortiz Jr fought Michael McKinson in an eliminator for the WBA world welterweight title. McKinson was ranked #5 by the WBO and #10 by the WBA at welterweight. Ortiz Jr beat McKinson by technical knockout in the 9th round.

Ortiz Jr vs. Dulorme

On April 27, 2024 in Fresno, CA, Ortiz Jr was scheduled to face Thomas Dulorme. He won the fight by knockout with liver shot in the first round.

Ortiz Jr vs. Tszyu

Ortiz Jr was scheduled to face Tim Tszyu on August 3, 2024 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles. On May 30, 2024 it was announced that the fight was canceled with medical advice. Tszyu required more time to heal from the injury sustained in his previous bout against Sebastian Fundora in March.

Interim WBC super welterweight champion

Ortiz Jr vs. Bohachuk

On June 24, 2024 it was announced that Ortiz Jr would face Serhii Bohachuk in Las Vegas on August 10, 2024. Ortiz was knocked down twice in the bout, but went on to win via majority decision after twelve competitive rounds; this being the first time Ortiz had gone the full distance in a fight.

Ortiz Jr vs. Madrimov

On February 22, 2025 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Ortiz Jr defeated Israil Madrimov by unanimous decision to retain his interim WBC super welterweight title, with two scores reading 115–113 and one reading 117–111. This was the second time in Ortiz's career that he went the distance, as well as the second time in a row.

Ortiz Jr vs. Lubin

On November 8, 2025, Ortiz Jr defended his interim WBC super welterweight title via 2nd round TKO victory over Erickson Lubin in Fort Worth, TX.

Ortiz Jr vs. Ennis Negotiations

As one of the biggest fights in boxing, a bout between Vergil Ortiz Jr and Jaron Ennis has been in talks for a while, with Ennis previously rejecting proposals to fight Ortiz Jr on undercard fights in Saudi Arabia, not wanting to move up to Super Welterweight while trying to unify the World Titles at Welterweight. After Ortiz Jr's bout with Lubin, Ortiz Jr and Ennis officially entered negotiations for a proposed bout at the MGM Grand in March of 2026, with Ortiz Jr's promotion Golden Boy Promotions, pulling out of negotiations as both Oscar De La Hoya and Ortiz Jr's manager Rick Mirigian could not reach an agreement with Ennis's team and Promotion after wanting a 60/40 split in favor of Ortiz Jr.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
24Win24–0Erickson LubinTKO2, 1:30Nov 8, 2025Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, Texas, USARetained WBC interim super welterweight title
23Win23–0Israil Madrimov12Feb 22, 2025The Venue Riyadh Season, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaRetained WBC interim super welterweight title
22Win22–0Serhii Bohachuk12Aug 10, 2024Michelob Ultra Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.Won WBC interim super welterweight title
21Win21–0Thomas DulormeKO1, 2:39Apr 27, 2024Save Mart Center, Fresno, California, U.S.
20Win20–0Fredrick LawsonTKO1, 2:33Jan 6, 2024Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, Paradise, Nevada, U.S
19Win19–0Michael McKinsonTKO9, 0:27Aug 6, 2022Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.Retained WBO International welterweight title
18Win18–0Egidijus KavaliauskasTKO8, 2:59Aug 14, 2021Ford Center at The Star, Frisco, Texas, U.S.Retained WBO International welterweight title
17Win17–0Maurice HookerTKO7, 0:36Mar 20, 2021Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.Won vacant WBO International welterweight title
16Win16–0Samuel VargasTKO7, 2:58Jul 24, 2020Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S.Retained WBA Gold welterweight title
15Win15–0Brad SolomonKO5, 2:22Dec 13, 2019Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S.Retained WBA Gold welterweight title
14Win14–0Antonio OrozcoKO6, 2:16Aug 10, 2019The Theatre at Grand Prairie, Grand Prairie, Texas, U.S.Won vacant WBA Gold welterweight title
13Win13–0Mauricio HerreraKO3, 0:29May 4, 2019T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
12Win12–0Jesus A Valdez Barrayan5, 3:00Jan 26, 2019Toyota Center, Houston, Texas, U.S.
11Win11–0Roberto OrtizTKO2, 1:03Sep 15, 2018T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
10Win10–0Juan Carlos SalgadoKO3, 1:52Jun 23, 2018Belasco Theater, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
9Win9–0Jesus Alvarez RodriguezTKO3, 2:23Feb 22, 2018Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S.Won vacant NABF Junior super lightweight title
8Win8–0Evandro CavalheiroTKO1, 0:21Nov 16, 2017Polifórum Benito Juárez, Cancún, Mexico
7Win7–0Cesar ValenzuelaTKO2, 1:22Sep 16, 2017T-Mobile Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
6Win6–0Ricardo Alan FernandezTKO1, 2:09Jun 17, 2017Tostitos Championship Plaza, Frisco, Texas, U.S.
5Win5–0Angel Sarinana3, 1:44May 5, 2017MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
4Win4–0Israel VillelaKO1, 1:26Jan 28, 2017Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S.
3Win3–0Nestor GarciaKO1, 3:00Dec 16, 2016Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S.
2Win2–0Ernesto HernandezKO1, 0:40Sep 17, 2016AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, U.S.
1Win1–0Julio Rodas1, 1:37Jul 30, 2016Fantasy Springs Resort Casino, Indio, California, U.S.