Vergil Ortiz Jr. Outlasts Serhii Bohachuk In A Grueling Majority Decision Victory

Ortiz overcomes knockdowns to earn WBC Interim Junior Middleweight Title at Mandalay Bay

Vergil Ortiz Jr. [right] guarantees the WBC interim junior middleweight belt after a hard-earned triumph against Serhii Bohachuk /

By Mohamed Bahaa

On Saturday night, Vergil Ortiz Jr. overcame two knockdowns to secure a majority decision triumph over Serhii Bohachuk at Mandalay Bay, therefore presenting one of the toughest tests of his career. With scores of 113-113, 114-112, and 114-112, the native of Texas—who now boasts an unblemished record of 22-0 with 21 KOs—showcased amazing resilience in the ring.

Ukraine's Bohachuk, who proved to be a difficult opponent, fiercely opposed Ortiz's persistent power blows, which had crushed several opponents. Ortiz was knocked down in the first and eighth rounds, but he rebounded fiercely and finally wore down Bohachuk in the latter rounds.

Although it seemed that Bohachuk may give Ortiz his first loss, the bout was the first time Ortiz had been pushed past the ninth round and he recovered his footing in the last rounds. He controlled the 11th and 12th rounds, then stunned Bohachuk in the last seconds of the fight to guarantee a significant edge on the judges' scorecards.

Ortiz said his regular training and strict lifestyle helped him to win. After donning the WBC interim junior middleweight belt—a title he wrested from Bohachuk— Ortiz said, "I'm the best in the world."

From the opening bell, the fight was explosive and Ortiz unleashed strong rights. As Bohachuk landed his own heavy blows—including a right hand that floored Ortiz in the opening round—his fortitude was clear. Originally declared a slip by referee Harvey Dock, a replay review reversed the ruling and gave Bohachuk a 10-8 round.

Both competitors traded powerful punches as the bout went on, neither ready to back off. Ortiz continued on despite injuries to his nose and above his left eye, landing major blows in the later rounds. Bohachuk started to weaken under Ortiz's unrelenting attack even though he scored a second knockdown in the eighth round.

Ortiz's strength was too much for Bohachuk, who slumped backward following a devastating punch in the 12th round. A glove-tape problem caused a brief stop, which provided Bohachuk with a temporary respite; nonetheless, the last seconds saw combatants exchanging strong rights, leaving the audience on their feet.

The triumph prepares Ortiz to perhaps face Crawford, a fight that has fans excited about what could be a career-defining encounter.