Vergil Ortiz Jr. checks off all the boxes you are looking for in a boxing superstar.
He's got the looks, personality and does the most important thing a boxer needs to do to make people take notice, knock people out. Ortiz is 18-0 with 18 knockouts. The 23-year-old looks to continue his impressive streak on Saturday when he makes his 2022 debut against Michael McKinson from the Galen Center in Los Angeles. You can watch the fight exclusively worldwide on DAZN.
Ortiz made enormous strides in 2021, KO'ing former junior welterweight champion Maurice Hooker and former welterweight title challenger Egidijus "Mean Machine" Kavaliauskas, respectively. The consensus among those associated with the sport feel Ortiz is a rising star and is part of the future of the welterweight division. One person who sees the same thing is his promoter at Golden Boy Promotions, Oscar De La Hoya, who feels one of his prized pupils is on the cusp of a banner year.
"With every fighter that we build, every fighter that we have to orchestrate, we have to plan very carefully," De La Hoya told DAZN News.
"Styles matter. The speed, the power, the footwork on the opponents. Everything matters. We look at everything, and we dissect it because me being an ex-fighter, I know the styles. I know what it takes to become a champion, what you're thinking inside the ring. Nobody else can ever do that. Not any promoter out there. What we do is very calculated.
"Vergil Ortiz right now is on the verge of breaking through. I believe that I can have Vergil fighting for a world title within the end of the year. I strongly feel that by October, November, he's ready to face the world champions.
"He wants to face the top guys in the division like (Errol) Spence, like (Terence) Crawford. I strongly feel that he's one fight away from just breaking through and fighting the very top competition out there in the world."
Far too often in boxing, politics get involved with marquee usually don't get made. Crawford, the WBO champion, is currently a free agent while Spence competes under the Premier Boxing Champions banner.
"The Golden Boy" feels that he can make those fights for Ortiz despite those obstacles.
"Crawford has a few issues to sort out with Bob Arum," De La Hoya said.
"There is a pending lawsuit, I believe, which will be difficult at the time now to make that fight. Nobody wants to interfere with anything like that. But working with Bob Arum has always been a pleasure.
"He's a promoter who gets it. He's a promoter who's been in this game for a long time. He knows the styles. He knows that this fight here with Vergil Ortiz and a Crawford would be massive, would be huge. It's an even fight.
"I've tried to work with PBC. It's almost impossible. They have their own world going there, and they fight amongst each other. It will be more difficult with PBC, but it's not impossible. I think everything is possible, as long as the terms are correct (and) as long as everybody is getting what they want. I think any fight can be made to tell you the truth.
"We've worked with everybody in the past. It's been no problem. I'm all about a promoter who just wants the best for the fighter.
"So whatever fights they want, it's my obligation to go and get. I've had great relationships with everyone across the board. So hopefully, we can make these fights."