Vergil Ortiz Jr. is preparing for a significant change in his boxing career as he steps up to junior middleweight. Ortiz (19-0, 19 KOs), known for his impressive knockout record, will face Fredrick Lawson (30-3, 22 KOs) on January 6th at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas in an event headlined by DAZN and promoted by Golden Boy Promotions.
This fight marks Ortiz’s first venture at the 154-pound limit and his first bout since his victory over Michael McKinson last August in Fort Worth, Texas. The win against McKinson was Ortiz’s only fight in 2022, a year that saw him combat illness, including a severe case of rhabdomyolysis that forced him to postpone his match and later withdraw from a purse bid fight against Eimantas Stanionis.
Fredrick Lawson, a Ghana native based in Chicago, has spent over a decade primarily fighting at welterweight. Lawson comes into this fight with two recent victories under his belt, including a ten-round decision over Estevan Villalobos on the very card that Ortiz was initially scheduled to headline.
The January bout is a pivotal moment for Ortiz as he aims to re-establish himself in a new weight class and continue his ascent in professional boxing.
Image Credit: DAZN