Vergil Ortiz, Jr., the undefeated knockout virtuoso from Grand Prairie, Texas, crashed into the super welterweight scene like a thunderbolt, dispatching Fredrick “General Okunka” Lawson of Accra, Ghana in a whirlwind first-round TKO. Clock stopped at 2:33 by the eagle-eyed referee, Ortiz Jr. thundered his arrival as the new heavyweight in the division, his knockout record gleaming at a perfect 100%. This spectacle unfolded at The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, with DAZN broadcasting the fistic fireworks globally.
Vergil Ortiz Jr., dripping with confidence, declared, “I’m back in my element, doing what I was born to do.” Eyes blazing with ambition, he called out Tim Tszyu, “He’s a beast, but I want him next. It’s an honor to potentially dance with the devil.”
In the co-main event, Venezuela’s own Ismael Barroso, known as El Tigre, proved he’s still a force to be reckoned with, delivering a crushing first-round TKO to Ohara “Two Tanks” Davies of the U.K., seizing the victory at 1:33. Barroso roared as he claimed the WBA Super Lightweight Interim World Championship, in a show put together with TGB Promotions.
Barroso, with a glint in his eye, reflected, “They said I had the power, and with God as my cornerman, I believe it.” After landing the first blow, he knew he had Davies on the ropes. “Everyone’s been shouting for a showdown with Romero, and here I am, ready to rumble!”
Adding his own flavor to the night, Golden Boy’s new signee, Arnold Barbosa Jr. from El Monte, showcased his slick skills with an eighth-round TKO over Xolisani Ndongeni from Eastern Cape, South Africa. Originally set for ten rounds, Ndongeni’s corner threw in the towel, surrendering at the stool after the eighth. In another sizzling bout, Raul “El Cugar” Curiel, the NABF Welterweight champ, unleashed a TKO on Elias Diaz of National City, California, calling it a day at 1:06 in the eighth round, in a fight slated for ten.
Kicking off the evening’s festivities, Dallas native Emiliano Gandara debuted like a comet against Timvonte Carson of Columbia, South Carolina, in a four-round super welterweight tussle. Gandara delivered a star-making performance, sending Carson to dreamland at 2:11 in the first round, heralding the start of an exciting career.