Oscar De La Hoya on Why Vergil Ortiz Jr Is The ‘Next Superstar In Boxing’

Vergil Ortiz Jr. (23-0, 21 KOs) is the next top dog in boxing, according to the ‘Golden Boy’ Oscar De La Hoya. With barely a day remaining for The Texas Machine’s title defence against Erickson Lubin (27-2, 19 KOs), the promoter is hopeful that it will lead him to greater heights in the sport.

Talking at the final presser for the Ortiz vs Lubin showdown, De La Hoya remained confident about Ortiz’s performance on Saturday and admitted that he might just be the sport’s next best thing.

“Vergil Ortiz, to me, will be the next superstar in boxing. He’s on the right path. He’s on the right trajectory,” he said.

Ortiz is currently the top contender in the super welterweight division, according to the Ring Magazine’s recent rankings. The Lubin fight will mark the second time that he defends his interim title, having defended it a few months earlier in a fight against Israil Madrimov.

While he boasts of an unbeaten record, Ortiz has been largely unproven as a fighter. His recent performances haven’t been the best, even though he was successful. This was despite the fact that he was pitted against B-level fighters in the division, which opens up the question about how he’d fare against title holders like Sebastian Fundora and Bakhram Murtazaliev (even though the Ring Magazine ranks them under him) or a top dog like Terence Crawford if he chooses to return to the division.

De La Hoya, however, is hopeful that the fight will pave the way for Ortiz to get the coveted super fights and potential superstardom.

“Fighting Lubin and beating him will take him to a super fight, which will lead him to superstardom. It’s what we do at Golden Boy. We make sure they have the opportunity. He has to win on Saturday, and he has the opportunity to taste superstardom in his next fight,” he said.

“He’s The Golden Ticket”

De La Hoya is hopeful that Ortiz’s performance on Saturday night will prove to fighters that he is a major crowd puller. Moreover, he believes that this will push fighters like Jaron Ennis to eye a potential super fight with Ortiz.

“Him winning on Saturday night and him fighting ‘Boots.’ He has another thing comin’ because Vergil is coming with everything,” he said. “Vergil Ortiz, whatever weight class he’s in, everyone follows because everyone knows that wherever he’s at, that he’s the golden ticket. He’s the only one who knows that he’s going to be able to fill up the Cowboys Stadium.”

Joshua Ben Joseph

Joshua Ben Joseph is a Boxing writer renowned for his unparalleled coverage of live events and insightful interviews with prominent athletes in the world of combat sports. With a career spanning over several years, he has authored more than 800 articles. As an experienced editorial cartoonist and investigative journalist, Joshua has a keen eye for detail and a passion for delivering quality content. Aside from his writing, Joshua is an avid powerlifter and solo traveler, embodying the same spirit of determination and exploration that he brings to his work. With a deep love for the sport of boxing that dates back to childhood, he is committed to delivering the highest quality content and helping to build a more transparent and credible industry.

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