Ortiz survives two knockdowns, edges Bohachuk in hellacious battle
Claims WBC interim 154 title, positions himself for possible showdown with Terence Crawford; Conwell, Sims score KOs on undercard
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Few expected anything less than an all-action battle between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Serheii Bohachuk and they delivered big time, even exceeding expectations in a bona fide fight of the year contender on Saturday night.
Ortiz overcame knockdowns in the first and eighth rounds and eked out a majority decision victory to win the WBC interim junior middleweight title in a grueling slugfest from start to finish in the in the main event of a Golden Boy Promotions card on DAZN at Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, which adds Bohachuk-Ortiz to the great lore of past epic battles that have taken place inside the venue, including Diego Corrales-Jose Luis Castillo I, Erik Morales-Marco Antonio Barrera I and Oscar De La Hoya, now the Golden Boy CEO and Ortiz’s promoter, against Fernando Vargas.
Judge Max DeLuca scored it 113-113 but judges David Sutherland and Steve Weisfeld both had it 114-112 for Ortiz, who went the distance for the first time in his career and past the ninth round for the first time. Fight Freaks Unite also had it 113-113.
“Fight of the year, baby,” De La Hoya shouted.
Ortiz claimed the interim154-pound belt Bohachuk was defending for the first time since winning the vacant title by decision over Brian Mendoza on March 30 and may have set himself up for a mega fight with newly crowned WBA titleholder Terence Crawford.
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