Vergil Ortiz Jr.
Born	(1998-03-25) March 25, 1998 (age 25) Grand Prairie, Texas, U.S.
Statistics
Weight(s)	Light welterweight Welterweight Light middleweight
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)[1]
Reach	74 in (188 cm)[1]
Stance	Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	20
Wins	20
Wins by KO	20
Medal record Men's amateur boxing Representing  United States Golden Gloves 2016 Salt Lake City Light-welterweight Silver Gloves 2012 Missouri Strawweight 2013 Missouri Light flyweight 2014 Missouri Bantamweight US National PAL Championships 2013 Mobile Flyweight 2014 Reno Atomweight

Vergil Ortiz Jr. (born March 25, 1998) is an American professional boxer who has held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) International welterweight title since 2021. As an amateur, he was a seven-time national champion and was the winner at the 2013 Junior Olympics.^[2] He was named 2019 The Ring magazine Prospect of the Year.^[3] Ortiz is known for his exceptional punching power, having scored all of his wins by knockout.^[4] As of August 2022, Ortiz Jr is ranked as the world's fifth best welterweight by The Ring magazine,^[5] and fourth by BoxRec^[6] and the Transnational Boxing Rankings Board (TBRB).^[7]

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.^[8]

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.^[9]

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.^[10] He defended the title in his next fight against Brad Solomon on December 13, 2019, in Indio, California, winning by fifth-round knockout.^[11]

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.^[12] 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.^[13] Ortiz won the fight by seventh-round technical knockout and retained his WBA Gold welterweight title.^[14]

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.^[15] Hooker was ranked #8 by the WBO, #13 by the WBC and #15 by the IBF at welterweight.^[16]

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.^[17] Kavaliauskas, who became Ortiz's first opponent to last longer than seven rounds, suffered five knockdowns as Ortiz won by eighth-round technical knockout.^[18]

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.^[19]

Professional boxing record