In the whimsical world of boxing, where muscles ripple and fists fly faster than a snooty waiter’s eye-roll, we’re teetering on the brink of Vergil Ortiz, Jr.’s grandiose leap into his new division. This undefeated, knockout maestro from Grand Prairie, Texas, who boasts a record as spotless as a white glove in a dust-free room (19-0, 19 KOs), graced the world with his presence at a press conference today.
He’s all set to tango in a 12-round super welterweight fight against Fredrick Lawson of Accra, Ghana (30-3, 22 KOs), who’s also dipping his toes into this new division. Mark your calendars for January 6, 2024, as The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas transforms into a gladiatorial arena, with the spectacle beamed live on DAZN from 5:00 p.m. PT.
Meanwhile, in the co-main event, the U.K.’s Ohara “Two Tanks” Davies (25-2, 18 KOs) is ready to strut his stuff in his Golden Boy debut, facing off against El Tigre, Venezuela’s Ismael Barroso (24-4-2, 22 KOs). This 12-round rumble is for the WBA Super Lightweight Interim World Championship, a title as shiny as a new penny, and it’s presented with a bow by TGB Promotions.
Not to be outdone, El Monte’s Arnold Barbosa Jr. (28-0, 10 KOs), a fresh face in the Golden Boy lineup, is set to clash in a 10-round super lightweight bout against Xolisani Ndongeni (31-3, 18 KOs) from Eastern Cape, South Africa. And to kick off the DAZN broadcast, Raul “El Cugar” Curiel (13-0, 11 KOs), the undefeated NABF Welterweight champion, will throw down in a 10-round fight against Elias Diaz (12-1, 7 KOs) of National City, California.
As for the appetizer of the evening, Emiliano Gandara of Dallas, Texas, is making his pro debut in a four-round super welterweight clash against Timvonte Carson (1-2) of Columbia, South Carolina.
The pugilists shared their pearls of wisdom today:
VERGIL ORTIZ JR., SUPER WELTERWEIGHT CONTENDER: “I just want to thank everyone who’s stood by me, especially my dad, my team, Coach Robert, Coach Hector, and the Golden Boy gang.”
“I’ve poured my soul into this sport. We’re weighing in tomorrow. If you’re still on the fence about tickets, hop off it because this fight is a done deal. And I’m ready. I’ve never felt better.”
FREDRICK “GENERAL OKUNKA” LAWSON, SUPER WELTERWEIGHT FIGHTER: “Firstly, hats off to the Almighty. Cheers to Golden Boy Promotions and DAZN for making this happen. Our training camp was top-notch. We’ve peeked at the scripts about how this fight’s supposed to unfold. Trust me, we have a few tricks up our sleeve. Can’t wait for Saturday.”
BERNARD HOPKINS, GOLDEN BOY PARTNER: “We’re only in competition with ourselves. Last year was a blast, and we’re geared up for this year. As Oscar puts it, the future kicks off now.”
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, GOLDEN BOY CHAIRMAN AND CEO: “In 2023, Golden Boy was the bell of the ball in boxing. We hosted the top two fights of the year, outdid everyone in PPV, and groomed more prospects than a Westminster dog show. 2024 looks even more thrilling, starting with this weekend’s card.”
“Since the new year rolled in, I’ve been preaching that the future starts today. With Vergil, Barboza, and Davies stepping into the ring this Saturday, we’re in for a year where a slew of Golden Boy fighters are eyeing world championships. I haven’t been this excited about a year in boxing in ages.”