‘Interim’ WBC super welterweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jr. solved the problem Terence Crawford struggled with—Israil Madrimov. While he had some issues with Madrimov’s movement in the early rounds, Ortiz soon proved why he is a seven-time national champion by securing a unanimous decision win at the end.

All seemed well and good! However, following their fight in Riyadh, Madrimov appeared in an interview with Boxing News. During the interview, he revealed that he wasn’t 100% during the fight and even had an illness going into the fight, advocating for a rematch. “Two weeks ago we went to doctor. The doctor says I was sick and wasn’t ready for fight [Ortiz],” he said.

“We [didn’t] want to cancel the fight because it was a big card. I worked 12 rounds [sick] & maybe in rematch, I come back again stronger.” Despite his claims about being ill, Madrimov looked agile and in form in the early rounds of the match. It’s a different story that Ortiz later figured out Madrimov’s awkward fighting style.

Regardless, after discovering the excuse from the Uzbek boxer, Ortiz’s father, Vergil Ortiz Sr., didn’t hold back his thoughts. “U were sick??? [Three weeks] before Hooker Jr gets covid the 1st wave that’s killing [everyone]. Our coach dies can’t fly to his funeral cause we have COVID-19, he’s dead sick, still fights,” Ortiz Sr. wrote in a lengthy X tweet. 

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“Boha fight, [first] sparring he gets a cut on his nose he couldn’t spare almost all of camp cause his cut keeps opening, all face-offs pics show it, is sick Fri, dead sick fight nite and still fights like a dawg, says nothing, he hurt his back 3 wks ago & could barely move which is y he started slow vs you Not a peep from him. NE1 has/had a excuse its Jr . Respectfully Vergil is different,” Ortiz Sr. added.

Meanwhile, Ortiz Jr. is already looking past Madrimov for the next big fight!

Vergil Ortiz Jr. on his next opponent

Vergil Ortiz Jr. is ready for his shot at a world title after defeating Israil Madrimov via unanimous decision to defend his interim WBC super welterweight title. Now, he has his sights set on the division’s top names. “Anyone with a belt. We’re chasing greatness. We want to face the best fighters. If someone is willing to give me a chance to fight for the belt – let’s go for it,” Ortiz told The Ring.

A fight with WBC champion Sebastian Fundora seems likely, but Ortiz also mentioned Terence Crawford’s WBA title. “I was kind of hoping that he would have vacated it and then this could have been for the WBA. It kind of just feels like it anyway,” Ortiz said. Ortiz believes his win over Madrimov, a former champion, proves he belongs at the top. Now, it’s just a matter of who gives him the opportunity first.

That said, it appears Israil Madrimov desperately wants to redeem himself after suffering his second consecutive career loss. However, from Vergil Ortiz Sr.’s response, it doesn’t appear in the cards right now. What do you think about Madrimov’s excuse?