Did Serhii Bohachuk deserve the decision over Vergil Ortiz?

August 10, 2024: Ukraine’s super welterweight (154lbs) Serhii Bohachuk lost his World Silver Interim belt in the result of a controversial judges’ decision (114-114, 113-112, 113-112) in the hot and highly anticipated clash with Vergil Ortiz Jr.

The ill-smelling practices lacking sportsmanship started yet at weigh-in where Lopez refused to shake the Champion’s hand. Ortiz Jr’s handlers Oscar De La Hoya and Bernard Hopkins had never tried to bring their young prospect back to normal (all that Bernard offered to the Ukrainian was his hand to shake, which looked like a joke).

However, already the beginning of the fight turned out to be embarrassing for the contender, Bohachuk dropped Ortiz Jr in the opening stanza with a solid right, and this knockdown was initially ruled out as a slip after round 5 was confirmed as a knockdown which had to be counted.

Bohachuk’s tactic not only proved to be efficient enough to prevent much anticipated KO or TKO stoppage, as it’s happened in ALL previous fights with Ortiz Jr participation, he kept landing solid punches from both hands. Ortiz Jr did his best trying to dominate Bohachuk. Still, Ukrainian’s defense proved to be invincible, while Ortiz Jr was dropped again in round 8, now with a count be given to him, so we can hardly say about Ortiz Jr’s “ring generalship” in far too many episodes of the fight!

Russian-Australian former world champion Tim Tszyu insisted the Ukrainian had never lost the fight (and the belt!), and according to him this fight was rather a draw, or Ukrainian’s victory. Many experts and fans supported the idea of Ortiz Jr giving Bohachuk a rematch!

The Golden Boy’s boss Oscar De La Hoya agreed it was an even yet great “fight of the year’, but made a somewhat questionable statement that Ortiz Jr, who indeed pressured during most of the rounds, had convincingly won. Oscar, a passionate man, had reasons for not being impartial. Yes, it was a bitter, even fight, and his fighter experienced two knockdowns!!!