Photo credit to Tom Hogan
It was the first live fight of GoldenBoy and DAZN and it started off with a bang by showcasing Vergil Ortiz, Jr. (16-0, 16 KO's) from Grand Prairie, Texas against Samuel Vargas (31-6-2, 2 KO's). Not only was Ortiz the 2019 Prospect of The Year, but he is now considered to be one of the top contenders in the welterweight division.
Coming into this fight, Ortiz was on a fighting streak in 2019 before Covid-19 stalled the fight game, and now after a seventh month hiatus he was looking for his 16th win in a row with 15 KO's prior to that.
In the first round, Ortiz began to snap numerous jabs to the head and stomach and also throwing the uppercut and left hooks on Vargas in the middle of the ring, a variety of the sweet science in just this round. His accuracy and precision were on point with speed and power in both hands. Toward the end of the round, Ortiz connected with a hard straight right hand and a flurry of combinations. Vargas' face was already battered and bruised as he went to his corner.
In the beginning of the second round, after Ortiz was sticking him with his jab and landing a right hand, Vargas started to go after the body of Ortiz and attempted to land his uppercut. But most of those punches were blocked by Ortiz, who then switched the pace by landing stiff jabs and Vargas' nose was now starting to bleed. At the ten count, Vargas simply backed up slowly in an attempt to not mix it up just before the bell sounded.
The third round was the most exciting round so far, and after landing stiff power jabs, Ortiz landed six straight hard right hands to the head of Vargas. Apparently this may have been out of Ortiz' annoyance at the wrong warning from the referee that he had illegally turned his opponent. Actually Ortiz waited after Vargas had momentarily turned his back, and that is what he told the referee.
To Vargas' credit, he was able to take the beating and still stand upright, but it was apparent that the heavy shots were already taking the toll on his face and body. Vargas was visibly bleeding from his nose again, as he slowly walked to his corner.
In the fourth round, Ortiz continued to be first with his power jab as he traded punches in the middle of the ring. At the one minute mark, Ortiz landed a barrage of combinations that backed up the battered Vargas, and his legs wobbled as he backed up. The round ended with Ortiz throwing more combinations on Vargas while he was on the ropes until the bell sounded. The doctor momentarily came into the corner of Vargas, who ended up smiling, but in obvious pain.
In what appeared to be taking the round off in the fifth, and still giving Vargas a boxing lesson, Ortiz almost took his head off with a straight right hand at the end of the round that barely missed.
In the sixth round, a round that Ortiz has never gone past, he continued to box and land the jab and several straight right hands on the game Vargas.
In the seventh round, Ortiz landed a big left hook, then followed it up with a multitude of punches that backed up Vargas in the corner. After almost getting knocked out, and in attempt to save himself, Vargas fell forward and tackled Ortiz and they both fell to the canvas.
After the fight continued, Ortiz landed a huge uppercut that sent Vargas against the ropes and then he began to batter him against the ropes. At the very last ten seconds of the round, Ortiz continued to land numerous punches on Vargas and just before the bell sounded, the referee stopped the fight. TKO at 2:58 of the seventh round
After the fight, when asked who he would like to fight next, Ortiz said, "I would like to fight Danny Garcia or Keith Thurman,” they’re good opponents I can beat. I want to take risks. I’m not here to take easy fights. I’m in the hardest division in boxing, so when I win a title it will mean a lot more.” A replay of the entire fight can be seen on DAZN.
