Fight Week: Vergil Ortiz returns to action against Michael McKinson

FIGHT WEEK

Welterweight contender Vergil Ortiz will take on Michael McKinson of the U.K. on Saturday in Forth Worth, Texas, Ortiz’s home state.

VERGIL ORTIZ (18-0, 18 KOS) VS. MICHAEL MCKINSON (22-0, 2 KOS)

When: Saturday, Aug. 6 Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT (main event later in show) Where: Dickies Arena, Fort Worth, Texas TV/Stream: DAZN Division: Welterweight (147 pounds) Rounds: 12 At stake: No major titles Pound-for-pound ranking: None Odds: Ortiz 10-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets) Also on the card: Marlen Esparza vs. Eva Guzman, flyweights (for Esparza’s WBA and WBC titles); Maurice Hooker vs. Blair Cobbs, welterweights; Bektemir Melikuziev vs. Sladan Janjanin, super middleweights; Alex Martin vs. Henry Lundy, junior welterweights Prediction: Ortiz KO 10 Background: The Ortiz-McKinson fight was scheduled to take place in March but was postponed after Ortiz pulled out because of illness. The 24-year-old slugger from Dallas is now healthy and ready to resume his pursuit of a shot at a 147-pound title. He has stopped all 18 of his opponents, the most recent being capable Egidijus Kavaliauskas in eight rounds in August of last year. No fighter has gone past eight rounds with Ortiz, who is ranked in the Top 3 by all four major sanctioning bodies, No. 1 by the WBA and WBO. He hopes that status will lead to a title fight sooner rather than later. McKinson is unbeaten but has faced no one with ability comparable to Ortiz. The 28-year-old Englishman is a good, experienced boxer but, with two stoppages in 22 fights, he has one of the lowest knockout percentages in the sport. He’s coming off a one-sided decision over Alex Martin this past March in Los Angeles, his first fight outside Europe.

 

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

Callum Walsh vs. Benjamin Whitaker, junior middleweights, Montebello, California (UFC Fight Pass).

FRIDAY

Antonio Moran vs. Michael Dutchover, junior welterweights, Plant City, Florida (ProBoxTV).

SATURDAY

Michael Conlan vs. Miguel Marriaga, featherweights, Belfast, Northern Ireland (ESPN+).