Fight of the Year in Vegas

Vergil Ortiz Survives Knockdowns to Edge Past Serhii Bohachuk

(Photos by Al Applerose)

By Uppercut Magazine Staff

Las Vegas hit the jackpot with Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Serhii Bohachuk in terms of staging the best fight of the year.

Ortiz (22-0, 21 Kos) lost his knockout streak but won the interim WBC super welterweight title by majority decision over Ukraine’s gutty Bohachuk (24-2, 23 Kos) at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino last Saturday.

Fight of the Year possibilities were achieved by Golden Boy and 360 Promotions.

Bohachuk floored Ortiz twice during the fight but none were close to ending the fight. In fact, each time the Texan was dropped he rallied furiously to make judges and fans doubt the winner of those rounds.

Though both fighters are unaccustomed to engaging in fights that ended in decisions, that’s exactly what happened after 12 back and forth rounds of constant clobbering. That’s not an exaggeration. They clobbered and bludgeoned each other like angry mountain rams.

Aside from the quick almost accidental knockdowns, the judges could scarcely tell them apart. One judge saw it even 113-113, and two others 114-112 for Ortiz.

Both fighters were sent to the hospital for observation.

Co-main

Super welterweight contender Charles Conwell (20-0, 15 Kos) proved his talent with a second round knockout over Khiary Gray (18-7) via body shots.

Conwelll was recently signed by Golden Boy Promotions and could be the steal of the year,

Other bouts included three female fights.  

Former undisputed welterweight world champion Cecilia Braekhus (38-2-1) of Norway defeated Maricela Cornejo (19-7) for the interim WBC super welterweight title after 10 rugged rounds.

Braekhus knocked down Cornejo and was able to control the second half of the fight in their 10 round battle.

In another female clash, Gabriela Fundora (14-0) dominated Chile’s Daniela Asenjo (16-4-3) to retain the IBF flyweight world title by unanimous decision after 10 rounds.