Errol Spence Jr. or Jermell Charlo, Who Should Vergil Ortiz Jr. Fight Next?
The light middleweight division has been experiencing a churn. Excitement surged with the arrival of Terence Crawford. Reasons were aplenty—from talks of bridging the gap toward Canelo Alvarez to a more practical achieving glory in yet another division. Now, Bakhram Murtazaliev has shocked the world. At Florida’s Caribe Royal Resort, he knocked out the heavy favorite Tim Tszyu and retained his IBF light middleweight title. Though a title defense, the upset might have set in a chain reaction.
But it appears in this shake-up that one low-key entry seems to have slipped out of the collective memory. After a prolonged break, Vergil Ortiz Jr. returned early this year. After two non-title bouts, on August 10, he squared off against Serhii Bohachuk for an interim title. For the first time in his career, Vergil Ortiz Jr. had to walk the distance. Nevertheless, the explosive KO artist delivered a solid ‘Fight of the Year’ contender. However, it’s over two months now. There’s still no clarity as to who the Grand Prairie-born boxer will fight next. There are a few potentials, though.
The Fight That Almost Was: Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs. Tim Tszyu
Interestingly, one of the earliest names that cropped up for a matchup was that of Tim Tszyu. In fact, the Sydney-born fighter and Ortiz Jr. were slated for a face-off on the August 3 Crawford-Madrimov card. But Tszyu’s injuries that he suffered during the Sebastian Fundora bout led to a cancellation. The prospect of an Ortiz Jr.-Tszyu fight was foremost in their thoughts when Oscar De La Hoya and HE Turki Alalshikh joined an interview.
But ‘The Soul Taker’s second career loss yesterday might have put a spanner in the works for any future matchup. Speaking about the divisional upheaval, following last year’s loss to Crawford, reports emerged that Errol Spence Jr. too joined the 154-pound weight class.
Could Vergil Ortiz Jr. face Errol Spence Jr.?
Vergil Ortiz Jr. had already expressed a keen interest in pursuing a face-off against the former welterweight champion. The idea of a showdown at the Cowboys Stadium held particular appeal to him. “I think the fight that makes that happen is the Spence fight. If he gets through Fundora and he’s healthy… we can run it at Cowboy Stadium,” he said during an interview. The fight makes for an intriguing contest. Though passingly, Spence Jr. has hinted at retiring from the sport. Hence, there’s a good chance he might want to go out on a high note—perhaps as a world champion.
For both Spence Jr. and Ortiz Jr., it would be a legacy-defining clash. Stylistically, it would be two heavy-hitting Texans going at each other. Spence Jr. would be testing his strong fundamentals against a fighter known for his devastating power. But a few caveats could be in play. Many feel the loss to Crawford has taken a heavy toll on the Long Island-born southpaw. Then, injuries apart, he underwent eye surgery early this year. It’s already been over 12 months since he entered the ring. So will the odds weigh him down?
Then one might have to consider Errol Spence Jr.’s options as well. Ever since he moved, talks of a fight against Sebastian Fundora surfaced. After a few rounds, when it appeared the matchup could be mere speculation, it seemed that a fight could be in the making for a 2025 face-off. So would the ‘Big Fish’ be interested in facing a fearsome interim champion risking a second career loss or straightaway go after the unified title holder, where, at least on paper, he stands a better chance of winning?
For both Spence Jr. and Ortiz Jr., it would be a legacy-defining clash. Stylistically, it would be two heavy-hitting Texans going at each other. Spence Jr. would be testing his strong fundamentals against a fighter known for his devastating power. But a few caveats could be in play. Many feel the loss to Crawford has taken a heavy toll on the Long Island-born southpaw. Then, injuries apart, he underwent eye surgery early this year. It’s already been over 12 months since he entered the ring. So will the odds weigh him down?
Jermell Charlo: Another target for Ortiz Jr.?
Apart from Errol Spence Jr., Vergil Ortiz Jr. had Jermell Charlo as well in his sights. The former undisputed light middleweight champion has yet to make a comeback following the loss to Canelo Alvarez last September. Ortiz Jr. made his intentions clear even before he could mark his 154-pound debut against Frederick Lawson. Though he said, ‘anyone at the time,’ when a reporter specifically took Jermell Charlo’s name for a future fight, Ortiz Jr. made it explicitly clear, “I just, I just want to fight the best. I want to prove that I’m the best.”
Incidentally, promoter Oscar De La Hoya too appeared interested in a Charlo fight. Reportedly, he went back on an old tweet from the ‘Iron Man’ and told him to reach out following the April 27 Thomas Dulorme match.
But like Spence Jr.’s case, Charlo’s case is a bit complicated. Following the Canelo fight, the Louisiana-born fighter faced a slew of personal problems. Then, early in January, reports emerged that WBC had conferred on him the status of ‘champion in recess’. The decision led to the title being declared vacant. A few months later, the WBA followed suit. As of now, Jermell Charlo has been keeping a low profile, and there’s no clarity about his next move.
Nevertheless, after a few months, even if he steps into the ring, will the fight with Ortiz Jr. resonate with fans?
Winding Up
Both Errol Spence Jr. . and Jermell Charlo turned 34 this year. They might be at the tail end of their careers. Hence, there’s a big question. Would either of them risk a fight against a younger, hungry contender like Ortiz Jr., especially with a loss potentially spelling the end of their time in the sport?
Of course, things have not been easy for the Grand Prairie-born fighter either. A move to a higher division seemingly exposed his vulnerabilities. It may only be a matter of time before a determined boxer of high caliber exploits it to his advantage. Could it be Terence Crawford? There are quite a few who support the matchup. Then there’s a high possibility of Jaron Ennis finally making a move to 154 pounds, presenting another enticing challenge for Ortiz Jr.
Let us know what your takes are on Vergil Ortiz Jr.’s options. Who do you feel he should fight next?
