Golden Boy boss Oscar De La Hoya says WBC interim super-welterweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jr. will be back in the ring in early October as he completes rehab on the hand he injured while out-pointing Israil Madrimov in February.
Ortiz squeezed four fights into fourteen months after a stop-start spell between 2021-23, but surgery following the Madrimov win has kept him out since. De La Hoya mentioned the new target is “the first or second week of October” and believes the 26-year-old “is the perfect candidate to become the next big star in the sport,” citing the strength of the 154-lb division.
During his lay-off Ortiz has sparred online with rivals more than in the gym, mocking suggestions he “ducked” Jaron Ennis and exchanging barbs with newly-crowned WBO titlist Xander Zayas. Ortiz congratulated Zayas on last week’s vacant-belt victory but noted his own last two opponents were top-ten contenders, prompting Zayas to retort, “talk to me when you become a world champion.” Ortiz snapped back: “Talk to me when you fight a top-10 opponent.”
De La Hoya is unfazed by the social-media crossfire. “There’s a buzz that he’s arguably the best 154-pounder out there,” he said. “This setback will make him realise the position he’s in. I’m very bullish on his future.”
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