At 27 years old with 23 professional bouts to his name, Vergil Ortiz is nearing the point where he might no longer be considered just a prospect. This Saturday, Ortiz is set to face former title contender Eriksson Rubin, aiming to move closer to a world championship and further away from his up-and-coming status.
Following a break from August 2022 to January 2024 caused by the muscle disorder rhabdomyolysis, Ortiz resumed fighting at 154 pounds with dominant first-round knockouts against Fredrick Lawson and Thomas Delhomme. Since then, he has taken on challenging opponents that many fighters aiming for a title shot usually shy away from.
His first major test came against Serhiy Bokhachuk, who had previously defeated Brian Mendoza. Ortiz was knocked down twice but rebounded to secure a majority decision win. He then faced Israel Madrimov, a fighter who previously pushed top pound-for-pound boxer Terrence Crawford to a close decision. Ortiz took some rounds to adjust to Madrimov’s unorthodox style but ultimately outpointed him by a wider margin than Crawford did.
Eriksson Rubin represents the next step in Ortiz’s pursuit of a title shot. Rubin has only been defeated by two world champions, Jermell Charlo and Sebastian Fundora, the latter of whose bout with Rubin was a contender for the 2022 Fight of the Year. Rubin’s activity has been limited recently, having fought only twice since a controversial win over Jesus Ramos in 2023.
A win over Rubin would nearly assure Ortiz a title shot. Ortiz’s team had been preparing for a fight against WBO champion Xander Zayas, who is expected to face WBA champion Abbas Barau in a unification match in January 2026. Depending on timing, Ortiz could challenge the unified champion mid-2026.
The undercard features some promising fights, including Darius Fulghum against David Stevens in super middleweight and a cruiserweight clash between undefeated Robin Sarwan Safar and Derrick Miller Jr. Safar notably defeated former light heavyweight champ Sergey Kovalev in May 2024.
Fight details:
- Date: November 8th
- Venue: Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, Texas
- Start Time: 8:00 PM ET (main event around 11:30 PM ET)
- Broadcast: DAZN (subscription required)
Prediction:
While Rubin packs power and skill, Ortiz’s overall ability places him ahead. Ortiz has shown resilience and adaptability, demonstrated by his comeback against Bokhachuk and his ability to manage Madrimov’s tricky style. Although Rubin can score knockouts, Ortiz’s superior boxing skills and determination make him the favorite, potentially winning by TKO in the eighth round.
Fan Take: This fight is crucial for boxing fans as it marks a pivotal point in Ortiz’s career from rising prospect to legitimate title contender. A victory here could shake up the junior middleweight division and set the stage for some exciting championship unification bouts in the near future.
