Vergil Ortiz Jr. overcomes 'The Problem' Mikey McKinson to retain WBO International welterweight title
In the co-main event, Marlen Esparza successfully defended her WBA and WBC flyweight titles against Eva Guzman
Talented Texan Vergil Ortiz Jr. (19-0, 19KO) continued his devastating winning streak with a ninth-round TKO over Briton Michael McKinson (22-1, 2KO), who was defeated for the first time in his eight-year pro career.
24-year-old Ortiz extended his strong start to the year to win via technical decision with a ninth-round stoppage at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, on August 6. It was his 19th knockout in as many fights, but the top welterweight contender didn't feel like he was at his best.
"The first seven rounds, I didn't really do anything good," Ortiz said in the postfight interview with DAZN. "I had to adjust big time. I should have listened to my corner from the beginning. But I listened and we got it done."
Ortiz and McKinson were initially scheduled to fight in March but fight was postponed when the American was hospitalised with rhabdomyolysis.
Saturday's bout, just a few miles away from Ortiz's hometown of Grand Prairie, was considered a WBA eliminator. With the victory, Ortiz will cmaintain his status as the WBO and WBA's No. 1 contender in the 147-pound division.
But the elusive and skilful McKinson proved to be a tricky opponent. He was slippery around the outside of the ring and roughed Ortiz up on the inside as well.
Eventually, all the bodywork Ortiz's corner asked for at the beginning of the fight manifested itself and paid dividends. In the final 30 seconds of the eighth round, Ortiz dropped the visiting Brit with a left hook to the body. McKinson went down in similar fashion at the beginning of the ninth round.
After he limped around the ring, his corner, consisting of his father Michael Ballingall, jumped to the top of the apron and threw in the towel.
Ortiz said his trainer/father, Vergil Ortiz Sr., yelled at him for three rounds for not following the game plan for the fight. The 24-year-old's stubbornness eventually gave way to sound advice.
"You think you know everything, and you don't," Ortiz Jr. admitted.
A path to a title remains tricky because of the landscape within the welterweight division. Errol Spence and Terence Crawford, who was ringside Saturday, hold all four major belts and are in talks for a potential undisputed title fight. In his postfight interview with DAZN, Ortiz acknowledged securing a title shot soon will be difficult because of that impending matchup.
But when it comes to taking on anyone else, he'll fight whomever that opponent is.
"As long as they're involved with my path to a world title, I don't care," Ortiz Jr. said.
In the co-main event, Marlen Esparza successfully defended her WBA and WBC flyweight titles against Eva Guzman. Esparza controlled a high-action fight and won a unanimous decision 98-92, 98-92, 99-92.
Esparza (13-1, 1KO) won her sixth fight in a row since her loss to current champion Seniesa Estrada in Nov. 2019. Guzman (19-2-1, 11KO), a mandatory challenger made her U.S. debut."
