Following a highly contentious bout between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and WBC interim junior middleweight champion Serhii Bohachuk, His Excellency Turki Alalshikh has called for an immediate rematch, stating that he viewed the fight as a draw.
Despite Ortiz being awarded the victory by a twelve-round majority decision, many fans and observers, including Alalshikh, felt that the decision was controversial. The judges scored the fight 113-113, 114-112, and 114-112 in favor of Ortiz, despite Bohachuk knocking Ortiz down twice during the bout. The close nature of the fight has led to widespread calls for a rematch, with Alalshikh noting that a second fight between the two would be a massive draw for boxing fans.
"It was a great fight. I thought it was a draw. We want him for Crawford, but if he has a rematch in the future with this guy, it would be amazing," said Alalshikh to Fight Hub TV when asked about the possibility of an Ortiz vs. Crawford bout. His comments suggest that any potential fight between Ortiz and Crawford may be delayed until the rematch with Bohachuk takes place.
Given the fan interest and the competitive nature of the first bout, a rematch between Ortiz and Bohachuk seems likely. Alalshikh's support for a second fight indicates that it could happen sooner rather than later, with Ortiz needing to prove himself once again before earning a shot at Crawford.
Read the full Ortiz vs. Bohachuk event results here.
Image Credit: Golden Boy Promotions