There are many strangers about what the last struggle of Virgil Ortiz JR against the WBC Interim Junior Middleweight -Champion Serhii Bohachuk on February 22nd against the former WBA champion Isral Madrimov in the Kingdom Arena in Riad, Saudi Arabia, put into his collision has.
Ortiz-Madrimov is easily the best fight on the invited sub-card. There are some excellent matchups, but this is the crème de la crème on the menu.
Virgil Jr.: Shocked?
Ortiz Jr. (22-0, 21 KOS) was beaten in his own brawling game by the more powerful, technically qualified Bohachuk in her fight on August 10, sunk, fell twice, injured several times and saved from the judges from a clear defeat. Virgil Jr. lost this struggle in the true sense, but the judges in Nevada gave him a majority decision victory with 12 laps that night. The reviews were 114-114, 114-112 and 114-112. I had 9-3 for Bohachuk. It was not close.
“Little Ggg” Madrimov (10-1-1, 7 KOS) is even more technically qualified than Bohachuk and has only good strength. However, he doesn’t throw that many blows and is not so relentless. If Madrimov can adapt his style as Bohachuk fights, Vergil Ortiz Jr. will lose on February 22nd, and the judges will not save him this time. He is knocked out. Madrimov beats too hard and his shots will end what Bohachuk started in his two-knockdown performance against Virgil.
“If you don’t know a fighter, you can both be very evident, very hesitant in the first round and try to feel mutually,” said Vergil Ortiz Jr. DAZN BoxingAbout his fight against Israail Madrimov on February 22nd.
“We had 12 to 20 round sparring. I think we know each other well enough that we will not hesitate in the first rounds. So it will be exciting right from the start, ”Vergil Jr. continued to fight Madrimov.
“Madrimov is a great fighter in the sparring. It was very competitive. We could think we have the best out of him, but you can say the same thing, ”said Robert Garcia, coach of Vergi Jr.
Sparring is not the same as victory
Ortiz Jr. and his trainer, Robert Garcia, should not get a false feeling of security in relation to the past they had with Madrimov, because that means nothing for their fight on February 22nd. Madrimov does not treat Sparking meetings as an opportunity to go to war or to prove himself against the boys he trains.
Only uncertain fighters do such things that are defeated themselves because it is preventing themselves from focusing on the development of technical skills. It also wears a fighter. You don’t want to have wars in the training camp and try to prove how well you are before fighting. If Virgil has this type of way of thinking, as a fighter, he won’t take much longer at the highest level. He already took a terrible punishment in his last fight against the alumni in the middleweight, Serhii Bohachuk, junior in the middle weight.
“Everyone knows that it will be a hard fight. We don’t even have to sell it, “said Ortiz Jr.” It is one of the biggest boxing cards ever. It is fun to stand against these boys. I have the WBC interior (154 LB belt). So we can fight (Sebastian) Fundora. I don’t know if it is next because our schedules have to set up. Hopefully Turki can do something about it, ”said Vergil Jr.
It would help if Virgil Jr. and Madrimov would make some efforts to sell their fight because it is not much talking about, even though it is the second best matchup on the map behind the reserves of the main event between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol. Madrimov says nothing during the construction for this fight, and Virgil Jr. says almost nothing.
Last updated on 02.09.2025