Vergil Ortiz and Serhii Bohachuk go to war in Las Vegas

It was Vergil Ortiz (21-0, 21 KOs)  and Serhii Bohachuk, (24-1, 23 KOs) Saturday night from the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, fighting for Bohachuk’s WBC interim 147-pound title. 

The card also featured the IBF world flyweight title bout between Gabriel Fundora and Daniela Asenjo and a WBC interim super welterweight title between Cecilia Braekhus and Maricela Cornejo. 

Going into the fight, power was certainly the order of the day in the main event with a combined 44 KOs in a combined 45 bouts between Ortiz and Bohachuk. While both fighters knew they had to box smart against a strong puncher, fight fans were pretty sure the fireworks would start at some point in this one.

Bohachuk was coming into the fight off the biggest win of his career against rugged Brian Mendoza. Meanwhile, Ortiz was looking for something big after an August 3 date with star Tim Tszyu was canceled.  While things got heated between the 2 camps at Friday’s ceremonial weigh-in, Bohachuk and Ortiz vowed to let their performance in the ring do the talking. 

Main Event

Unbeaten WBC #2 super welterweight Vergil Ortiz Jr. (22-0, 21 KOs) beat WBC interim champion Serhii “El Flaco” Bohachuk (24-2, 23 KOs) by majority decision Saturday night in Las Vegas. From the first bell, it was bombs away. Bohachuk scored knockdowns in rounds 1 and 8, but Ortiz always came storming back. While both fighters fought aggressively, Ortiz rocked Bohachuk several times late in the bout. Final scores were very close with Ortiz squeaking by at 113-113, 114-112, 114-112. Interviewed shortly before the main event, Golden Boy boss Oscar De La Hoya indicated that if Ortiz won he’d like to match him up with Terence Crawford. We shall see if that fight pans out. 

After the fight, Ortiz knew he had been in a tough fight but felt he did enough to win.

“I felt like I did enough”, he said. “I proved everyone wrong who said I was washed. I am the best in the world and I’m going to keep proving that”, he said. 

Bohachuk, understandably, was disappointed after the fight.  

“People who watched the fight, who understand boxing, know what happened today”, he said. "I’m feeling great, I made 2 knockdowns, come on guys." 

As for what is next for Ortiz?

”Im ready for a challenge”, he said. “I think Bud Crawford is pound for pound #1 in the world and I want to show I have what it takes to beat him”.

As for tonight’s fight, promoter De La Hoya was all smiles. 

“Fight of the year baby,” he said. 

Under Card

Super welterweight Charles Conwell (20-0, 15 KOs) KO2  Khiary Gray (18-7, 13 KOs). 

Super lightweight Kenneth Sims Jr. (21-2-1, 8 KOs) TKO 5 (former super bantamweight world champion) Jonathan Romero (35-5, 19 KOs). 

IBF female flyweight champion Gabriela Fundora (14-0, 6 KOs) UD 10 Daniela Asenjo (16-3-3, 2 KOs). Scores - 100-90 x3.

Welterweight Joel Iriarte (4-0, 4 KOs) TKO 1 Miguel Ortiz (3-2, 1 KOs). 

Super welterweight Cecilia Braekhus (37-2-1, 9 KOs) UD 10 Maricela Cornejo (19-7, 7 KOs). Scores were 96-93 x 3. WBC Interim 154 title.