Vergil Ortiz Sr is the trainer and proud father of Vergil Ortiz Jr, who on Saturday knocked out Thomas Dulorme to set the stage for his fight against Tim Tszyu in Los Angeles on August 3.
It appears Ortiz (21-0, 21 KOs) and Tszyu (24-1, 17 KOs) share a mutual respect leading into their bout. They perhaps do so partly because of the violence they likely expect.
“We trained Vergil as a kid to go to hell and back – and kept him there,” reflected his father. “So for him to be so violent is just natural to him – it is like breathing.”
Their fight pits two high-motor pressure fighters against each other. Ortiz Sr seems to call upon boxing history and even spirituality – as though it is inevitable that two of the toughest fighters in the world had to fight.
“When two guys see each other and they know what that other guy is – it is just something that attracts them to each other,” he said.
He cited Miguel Cotto-Ricardo Torres as a violent fight that Ortiz Jr-Tszyu could prove similar to. Violence will be the theme when Ortiz and Tszyu meet – perhaps not unlike Erik Morales-Marco Antonio Barrera – and risk the type of fight that could shorten their careers.
“Those are the fights that everyone wants to see – but also take a lot from you,” explained Ortiz Sr.
“Even if it isn’t the main event [Israil Madrimov-Terence Crawford is] – it is the main fight. I don’t think people realize how violent and dangerous that fight is for both. You won’t see two fighters like that fight against each other [often].
“What makes Tim Tszyu very good is his style is very similar to Vergil. They have the same instinct – when they hurt somebody they go after it.
“If you don’t belong in the ring [with Tim Tszyu], he will get you out. He doesn’t let guys who aren’t supposed to be in the ring with you stay in there with you – you get them the f*** out.”
Lucas Ketelle is a proud member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and author of “Inside The Ropes of Boxing” (available on Amazon). Contact him on X @LukieBoxing.