Punching machine Vergil Ortiz Jr 18-0 (18) is closing in on the last four weeks of training camp ahead of his clash against Michael ‘The Problem’ McKinson 21-0 (2) at the Galen Center in Los Angeles on March 19.
The 23-year-old welterweight contender has added renowned trainer Manny Robles to his coaching staff that also includes his father Vergil Ortiz Sr and Hector Beltran.
Ortiz says they are working well together and is expecting the results to speak for themselves on fight night.
“We are at Manny Robles’s gym now. My dad is my head trainer and Hector Beltran is also part of the team,” Ortiz said to Fightnews.
“I am getting a lot of help and different point of views. It’s all working together. Everything is working the way it goes getting the sparring and putting in the work.”
“Every coach has a point of view. Manny has his own style, we are adding to the mix to make myself better.”
Ortiz was last in action in August when he stopped former world title challenger Egis Kavaliauskas 22-2-1 (18) in eight frames. Prior to that he finished former world champion Maurice Hooker 27-2-3 (18) in the seventh last May.
The bout against light-punching but slick moving southpaw McKinson could well go late, but Ortiz – who has never been past the eighth – says he is ready for that.
“I think he is going to try taking me the distance and win the UD,” Ortiz said. “He is a southpaw that likes to be tricky, try to frustrate you and get his rhythm. I feel this will be a difficult complicated fight.”
The welterweight division is one of the most stacked in boxing, led by marquee names Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford 38-0 (29) and Errol ‘The Truth’ Spence Jr 27-0 (21) and Manny Pacquiao conqueror Yordenis Ugas 27-4 (12). The plan for Ortiz is to stay busy this year and force his way into a world title shot.
“I would love to fight three times this year. I would like to fight good opposition. I love proving myself against the best. Hopefully one of those is a world title fight. I am really close I can feel it,” Ortiz said.
“I feel I am in the top five in the division. Hands down. You got the champions, Spence, Crawford, Ugas, [Keith] Thurman is number four.”
If promoter Oscar De La Hoya has his way, Ortiz will face WBC and IBF welterweight champion Spence in a stadium fight at the home ground of the Dallas Cowboys in Texas.
“I remember when he fought his first pro fight in Dallas, he told [Cowboys owner] Jerry Jones ‘I am going to fill your stadium’,” Oscar De La Hoya said at Tuesday’s press conference.
“I can envision a mega fight with Errol Spence Jr vs Vergil Ortiz Jr in Jerry’s World (AT&T Stadium). We are on plan to fulfilling Vergil’s dream of becoming world champion.”
