Vergil Ortiz vs. Egidijus Kavaliauskas - August 14, 2021

[Ruthless-RKO]

Vergil Ortiz-Egidijus Kavaliauskas Set, August 14 At Ford Center In Frisco, Texas

The next step up in class for Vergil Ortiz Jr. will once again come in the form of a home game.

Boxing Scene has learned that the unbeaten welterweight contender is set to next face former title challenger Egidijus Kavaliauskas. Their crossroads bout will headline a DAZN telecast August 14 from The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

News of the bout was first revealed via social media by The 3 Knockdown Rule podcast host Steve Kim.

Ortiz (17-0, 17 KOs) fights for the second straight time in the great Dallas area. The 23-year-old knockout artist from nearby Grand Prairie, Texas is coming off of a seventh-round stoppage of local rival and former junior welterweight titlist Maurice Hooker this past March 20 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth. The bout took place in front of a sold-out crowd at the intimate venue, with ticket availability capped due to social distancing measures.

No such restrictions are any longer in place for venues in Texas. The hosting venue—primarily used as the practice facility for the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys—normally seats 12,000, though available for upwards of 15,000 for non-football events. Local hero and unified welterweight titlist Errol Spence (27-0, 21 KOs) headlined the venue’s first-ever boxing card, drawing an announced crowd of more than 14,200 for his 1st round knockout of Carlos Ocampo in a June 2018 mandatory title defense.

Two other boxing events have taken place on site—Sergey Kovalev’s light heavyweight title regaining win over Eleider Alvarez in February 2019; and a February 2020 show that saw Mikey Garcia rebound from a shutout loss to Spence with a thrilling 12-round decision win over Jessie Vargas, along with Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez entering his second junior bantamweight title reign following a ninth-round knockout of unbeaten Kal Yafai.

Ortiz gets his third local headliner, the latest coming two years—almost to the day—after his sixth-round stoppage of former title challenger Antonio Orozco. Their August 2019 clash took place in front of a sellout crowd at Verizon Theatre in Grand Prairie, as part of a four-win campaign that saw Ortiz earn 2019 Prospect of the Year honors.

The pandemic limited Ortiz’s 2020 to just one fight—a seventh-round stoppage of Samuel Vargas last July 24 at a crowdless Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio, California. It was a far greater feeling for his last outing, when a rabid crowd rallied behind his every move en route to stopping Hooker for his biggest career win to date.

Kavaliauskas (22-1-1, 18 KOs) boasts a rich amateur career that includes his representing Lithuania in the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics. As a pro, the 32-year-old—who lives and trains in California—is regarded as a bona fide welterweight contender.

The lone loss of Kavaliauskas’ career came in a ninth-round stoppage at the hands of three-division and reigning WBO welterweight titlist Terence Crawford (37-0, 29 KOs) in December 2019. He has since rebounded with an eighth-round stoppage of Canada’s Michael Zewski last September at MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas.

A win by Ortiz will keep him in line for a targeted welterweight title fight. He remains the number-one contender to Crawford’s WBO title and holds the WBA “Gold” belt which leaves him in contention for the WBA “Super” title which could be at stake in Spence’s unified title fight versus eight-division champ Manny Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs).

[Ruthless-RKO]

He's fighting the right the opponents..

In good positions with gov bods.

GBP aint getting him a title shot at 147.

He'll be fighting for a vacant belt or force a mandatory..

[margaret thatcher]

bombs away in this one, vs a man who put craw down

[ironbeard]

Can’t miss barnburner.

[ironbeard]

bombs away in this one, vs a man who put craw down

…and just pissed him off.

[Ruthless-RKO]

This has been confirmed.

[victor-romeo]

This is a good fight,

[gregregegg]

Vergil Ortiz, a 23 year old kid taking on arguably crawfords best opponent from crawford being 28-33.... Who also knocked Crawford down.

Crawford better pray to god Kavaliaugskas get a win here. because if ortiz smokes him, that only lessens Crawfords pitiful welterweight existence.


P.s why is Kavalinauskas listed as a super welter?

p.p.s how good is ray robinson... Arguably beat Kava and josh kelly back to back...

[Ruthless-RKO]

Vergil Ortiz-Egidijus Kavaliauskas Formally Announced For August 14 In Frisco, Texas

Another night, another hometown headliner and step-up in class for Vergil Ortiz Jr.

In what has become a familiar theme in his rise to contention, the toughest test to date awaits the unbeaten knockout artist from Grand Prairie, Texas. As previously reported by Boxing Scene, Ortiz (17-0, 17 KOs) will next face former title challenger Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas, with their welterweight bout due to take place August 14 on DAZN from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

The bout was confirmed by Golden Boy Promotions who formally announced the event Tuesday morning.

“Vergil Ortiz Jr. is developing the most impressive resume for any boxer his age,” said Oscar De La Hoya, chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “Though the welterweight division is perhaps the most competitive weight class in the sport, Ortiz Jr. has been able to maintain a knockout ratio of 100% in his big tests against Antonio Orozco, Brad Solomon and Maurice Hooker.

“On August 14, Ortiz Jr. will look better than ever and remind everyone why he is the biggest threat at 147 pounds.”

Ortiz sought to send that message in his last outing, a seventh-round stoppage of former junior welterweight titlist Maurice Hooker. The battle of local, friendly rivals took place this past March 20 in front of a packed crowd at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. Hooker tested Ortiz as advertised, before the 23-year-old twice dropped the Dallas native en route to maintaining his perfect knockout-to-win ratio.

The win came in the presence of welterweight royalty. WBO titlist Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford is a stablemate of Hooker and made the trip in support of the former titlist while also in part to scout Ortiz. Also on site was WBC/IBF titlist Errol Spence Jr. (27-0, 21 KOs), who next faces the legendary Manny Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 KOs) on August 21.

Both are stated targets of Ortiz, who is willing to continue to push himself in terms of facing the best of the rest in the division.

“I always said I’m here to take on the toughest challenges to prove myself,” insists Ortiz, BS.com’s 2019 Prospect of the Year. “Egis is a very game, strong opponent, and a win over him would leave no doubts that I’m ready for a world title fight immediately.

“It won’t be easy, but that’s the point. The fans are going to enjoy this one.”

The fight comes about due to Kavaliauskas’ willingness to rise to the occasion at a time when several other welterweights looked the other way. The two-time Olympian for Lithuania has proven himself as a bubble contender in the stacked welterweight division, with his lone loss coming in a ninth-round stoppage at the hands of Crawford in their December 2019 WBO welterweight title fight.

Kavaliauskas has since rebounded with an eighth-round stoppage of Michael Zewski last September in his last fight with Top Rank. The 33-year-oid contender—who is guided by multi-time Manager of the Year Egis Klimas—now aims to ruin the hometown celebration planned for Ortiz along with any plans for his younger foe to sprint toward the title picture.

“Fans have been asking for this fight, and we’re going to give it to them,” said Kavaliauskas. “So, mark your calendar and have your popcorn ready. A war is coming.”

TICKET INFO

Per the announcement from Golden Boy, tickets will go on sale Friday, July 16 at 11:00 a.m. ET/10:00 a.m. local (Central) time. Price points for the event are $250, $150, $100, $75, $50 and $35 (plus service fees) and are available for sale at seatgeek.com.

[Enlightened-One]

Should be an entertaining fight between two fringe contenders.

[bobcatbox]

I’m gonna take the young Ortiz by knockout. It will be an emphatic win for his up-and-coming title run at 147 once Spence and Crawford move on.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Gutierrez vs. Alvarado III, Alvarado vs. Lopez Confirmed For Ortiz-Kavaliauskas

Felix and Rene Alvarado return to the Lone Star State to once again share a stage.

The twin brothers from Nicaragua appear in separate bouts in support of welterweight contender Vergil Ortiz Jr. (17-0, 17KOs) who faces former title challenger Egidijus Kavaliausjas. Felix Alvarado will defend his IBF junior flyweight title versus Mexico’s Erick Lopez (16-5-1, 10KOs), while Rene Alvarado seeks revenge in his rubber match versus Venezuela’s Roger Gutierrez (25-3-1, 20KOs) for the WBA “World” junior lightweight title.

All three bouts take place August 14, live on DAZN from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

Gutierrez claimed the secondary junior lightweight title with a thrilling twelve-round decision victory over Rene Alvarado this past January 2 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, mere minutes from the site of their upcoming third battle. The fight was tightly contested throughout, with Gutierrez scoring three knockdowns including one in the twelfth and final round to preserve the win and avenge a prior knockout loss from July 2017.

Neither has since fought, heading straight into their trilogy bout which once again serves as a chief support on a DAZN show.

“The final chapter of the longstanding rivalry between Roger Gutierrez and Rene Alvarado will end on Aug. 14,” said Oscar De La Hoya, chairman and CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. “The results of their first two fights were sharply different from each other, though both battles produced an equal amount of excitement.

This third fight will put an end to their rivalry with even more action and place the winner on the path to unify titles in the division.”

Gutierrez enters the fight riding a six-fight win streak, none bigger than his aforementioned title win. No worse than a close second, however, for the 26-year-old from Maracaibo, Venezuela was his upset first-round knockout of unbeaten top-rated contender Eduardo ‘Rocky’ Hernandez in July 2019.

"I am very excited for this trilogy fight that I am going to have with Rene Alvarado," said Gutierrez. “I know that the fight will not be easy and my opponent is tough. He beat me in the first fight, and then I took the title from him in the second bout.. It will be an exciting battle, and I know the fans will enjoy it very much.”

Alvarado (32-9, 21KOs) aims to become a two-time titlist. The 32-year-old from Managua, Nicaragua won the belt in a seventh-round knockout of Andrew Cancio in November 2019, with his career placed on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. His first attempted defense came on the same January 2 show that saw his twin brother Felix defend his title versus former champion Deejay Kreel. Rene came up just short in his effort, and now returns for revenge.

"I am happy to have the opportunity to rectify the loss I suffered against Roger Gutierrez," said Rene Alvarado. “I made mistakes in that second fight, but I promise to correct them all on August 14 so I can deliver to Nicaragua a great victory. As always, I will train 100% and leave everything in the ring.”

Felix Alvarado (36-2, 31KOs) will attempt the third defense of his title, coming off of among the best wins of his career with his tenth-round stoppage of Kreel earlier this year. Alvarado has held a junior flyweight belt since October 2018 and now gets to rejoin his brother on a high-profile card.

Guadalajara’s Lopez fights in the United States for the first time, riding a two-fight win streak. His lone other appearance on the stage came in a hard-fought twelve-round majority decision defeat to Daniel Mattelon in their WBA interim junior flyweight title fight last February in Panama City, Panama.

Opening the four-fight telecast, veteran contender Pablo Cesar Cano (33-7-1, 23KOs) looks to upset rising Pierto Rican junior welterweight prospect Danielito Zorrilla (15-0, 11KOs). The Mexico versus Puerto Rico battle is scheduled for ten rounds.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Kavaliauskas On Facing Vergil Ortiz: I'm Hyped For This Fight, There's Going To Be Fireworks

“He’s a tough fighter, good fighter,” Kavaliauskas told spam.com. “I like his style. I think it’s gonna be a super good fight.

“We will see [if Ortiz has] experience and we will see about [his] intelligence in the ring, [his] pressure, punches, the power,” said Kavaliauskas. “He’s a good boxer, smart boxer, a fun fighter, so there’s going to be fireworks there…His last fight [against Hooker] he looked good, but he got hit a lot, I [could] tell. But for him it was an easy fight.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Why to Watch: The 23-year-old Ortiz (17-0, 17 KO) is a serious welterweight contender, one of the best and most promising young fighters in boxing, and a key building block for what should be the next phase of Golden Boy Promotions’ existence post-Canelo Alvarez. He’s got some skills, good power, has stepped up nicely and kept smashing the opponents he stepped up against, and has been humble and easy to root for all the way.

Kavaliauskas (22-1-1, 18 KO) is another good step. The 33-year-old Lithuanian is a tough customer, and fought Terence Crawford about as well as anyone has, really, before he got stopped in nine in their 2019 title bout. He came back to stop Mikael Zewski, and also dominated David Avanesyan back in 2018. He did have one rough night, a draw with Ray Robinson in 2019, but below the elite level, Robinson is a spoiler who can bug the hell out of any opponent. Ortiz likes to bring fire, and Kavaliauskas never shies from contact. This one could have some great action.

[handsofstone]

Another step up for Ortiz, love how he's being matched, came through a hard fought win over Hooker, got the KO, Kavaliauskas is dangerous, gave Crawford one of his tougher tests, the win over Avanesyan looks better all the time, especially from a UK point of view, he's just stopped Zewski in his last fight, I think he gives Ortiz his toughest test, think he'll be first guy to take Ortiz the distance but Ortiz will prove too good in the end

[handsofstone]

None of the undercard is listen on boxrec

[Ruthless-RKO]

None of the undercard is listen on boxrec

They’ll probably put it up afterwards.

Felix Alvarado will defend his IBF junior flyweight title versus Mexico’s Erick Lopez (16-5-1, 10KOs).

Rene Alvarado seeks revenge in his rubber match versus Venezuela’s Roger Gutierrez (25-3-1, 20KOs) for the WBA “World” junior lightweight title.

[handsofstone]

None of the undercard is listen on boxrec

They’ll probably put it up afterwards.

Felix Alvarado will defend his IBF junior flyweight title versus Mexico’s Erick Lopez (16-5-1, 10KOs).

Rene Alvarado seeks revenge in his rubber match versus Venezuela’s Roger Gutierrez (25-3-1, 20KOs) for the WBA “World” junior lightweight title.

Looking forward to seeing Felix Alvarado again, looked a monster against Kriel last time out on the Garcia/Campbell card, looking through Lopez's career, pretty poor and not world title challenging worthy

[Ruthless-RKO]

Carlos Buitrago Unable To Make Weight, Title Fight With Wilfredo Mendez Pulled From Ortiz-Kavaliauskas

Wilfredo 'Bimbito' Mendez has waited more than a year for his next fight and even longer for his stateside debut.

Both were to come this weekend, only for the WBO strawweight titlist to be left without a fight altogether.

A planned title defense was taken off the table after scheduled challenger Carlos Buitrago was forced to withdraw due to an inability to safely make the 105- pound divisional limit. Buitrago was pulled from the fight, leaving Puerto Rico’s Mendez without an opponent for Saturday’s DAZN telecast from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

Representatives from Golden Boy Promotions have confirmed to BS.com that the fight is canceled altogether.

According to La Prensa in Buitrago’s native Nicaragua, the former three-time title challenger arrived in the United States earlier this week still ten pounds above the divisional limit. Efforts to cut weight in time for Friday’s weigh-in saw initial progress—shedding three pounds after his first night—only to gain weight as his body reached a point of dehydration and ultimately shutting down.

Buitrago was attempting to drop back down in weight for the first time since New Year’s Eve 2017, when he suffered an eighth-round knockout loss to then-unbeaten IBF strawweight titlist Hiroto Kyoguchi, now a junior flyweight champ. The 29-year-old from Managua, Nicaragua has since campaigned as heavy as flyweight, along with two failed bids at a junior flyweight title including a points loss to WBO 108-pound titlist Elwin Soto last October in Indio, California.

His failure to safely make strawweight leaves Mendez, 24, inactive since last February, when he scored a ninth-round knockout of Gabriel Mendoza on the road in Panama City, Panama.

The bout marked the second defense of the WBO strawweight title won by the Puerto Rican southpaw in a twelve-round, unanimous decision over Vic Saludar in August 2019. The title win was part of an active stretch for Mendez, who enjoyed a four-fight campaign in 2019 and three title fights in less than six months including his win over Mendoza.

The rest of the show will move forward, headlined by a welterweight clash between local favorite and top contender Vergil Ortiz Jr. (17-0, 17KOs) and former title challenger Egidijus Kavaliauskas (22-1-1, 18KOs). Also included is a trilogy bout between secondary junior lightweight titlist Roger Gutierrez (25-3-1, 20KOs) and former title claimant Rene Alvarado (32-9, 23KOs), coming just seven months after Gutierrez's thrilling unanimous decision win this past January in Dallas, Texas.

Opening the DAZN telecast, unbeaten Puerto Rican junior welterweight prospect Danielito Zorrilla (15-0, 11KOs) faces Mexico's veteran spoiler Pablo Cesar Cano (33-7-1, 23KOs).

[Ruthless-RKO]

Rene Alvarado Exclusive Interview

[margaret thatcher]

dude looks like he's been on the POW diet

[ironbeard]

Wth? This fight has flown under the radar and snuck up on us. Two quiet, humble warriors in a can’t miss battle.

VOrtiz will have to be on his game to get by Kava, who is technically sound, always fit, high volume, good chin, and hard hitting. If Mean Machine gets VOrtiz in trouble I think that he will go all in to finish it.

The Lithuanian’s experience is deep. This has foty candidate written all over it.

Cliches expended.

It is going to be war.

[margaret thatcher]

mean meh he can hands vs lethal lithuanian hands

these dudes gonna throw down

[gregregegg]

I’d back Virgil but still think the odds for this are too wide. Good fight. Love to see Virgil in with boots sooner rather than later. Can always fight again down the line. But I know I’m dreaming.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Vergil Ortiz: Obviously Comfortable With My Dad In My Corner

Vergil Ortiz Jr. will be in very capable hands this weekend, even if not in the presence of his head trainer.

The unbeaten welterweight knockout artist from Grand Prairie, Texas will head into his upcoming hometown headliner versus Egidijus Kavaliauskas (21-1-1, 18KOs) under the guidance of his father, Vergil Ortiz Sr. who takes the lead in the corner this Saturday. The bout—which airs live on DAZN from Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas—takes place at the same time as Ortiz’s stablemate, Joshua Franco (17-1-2, 8KOs; 1ND) who faces Australia’s Andrew Moloney (21-1, 14KOs; 1ND) in a trilogy bout on ESPN in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Their shared head trainer, Robert Garcia will be in Tulsa with part of the team working with Franco. Ortiz Sr. will be assisted by Eduardo Garcia and Robert Garcia Jr., Robert Sr.’s father and son, respectively.

“I’m obviously comfortable with my dad,” Ortiz told BS.com of the new look for this weekend. “I’d rather have my dad in my corner at all times. That’s the one person that’s always going to have my back.”

All hands were on deck for Ortiz’s most recent bout, a seventh-round stoppage of local friendly rival Maurice Hooker this past March at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. It marked the first time since the final bout of his 2019 Prospect of the Year tour that Ortiz’s entire team was on hand for the fight itself. Ortiz headlined the first DAZN card out of the pandemic last July, though without the fight night services of Garcia who tested positive for COVID and was not permitted to enter the Indio Casino bubble.

Ortiz proceeded with his fight versus Tureano Johnson with his father taking the lead, and the young boxer prevailing by seventh-round stoppage, his longest as a pro to that point.

The lead voice in his corner once the fight is underway has never been an issue for Ortiz. He was raised on the sport through his father, with continued education coming from Garcia while Ortiz Sr. remains a permanent fixture in camp and among the team. Once the bell sounds, Ortiz still has to get the job done, no matter who is telling him how to do so.

“When it comes to fight night, it’s just going to come down to feeling him out, making adjustments and go from there,” insists Ortiz.