A potential welterweight thriller could be on for August 6.
Mike Coppinger reports that unbeaten rising star Vergil Ortiz Jr (18-0, 18 KOs) will take on the avoided David Avanesyan (29-3-1, 17 KOs) in Fort Worth, Texas, live on DAZN.
Avanesyan, now promoted by Queensbury, had been linked to a WBC welterweight eliminator against Ortiz earlier in the year but the Texan chose a different path. In fact, the highly touted 24-year-old move on to a bout against Brit Michael McKinson on March 19 but was forced to withdraw during fight week after being diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis, described as a ‘serious medical condition’.
Ortiz is bouncing back straight into a thrilling fight on paper. Both are pressure fighters who rarely take a backward step.
Avanesyan, 33, has long called for a fight against Conor Benn but realistically has never looked like happening.
The Russian has suffered one defeat four years, a sixth-round stoppage loss to Egidijus Kavaliauskas but bounced back superbly to take the scalps of Kerman Lejarraga (twice) before dismantling one-time Matchroom hot prospect Josh Kelly. ‘Ava’ has been a level or two above recent opponents Liam Taylor and Oskari Metz with neither fight reaching the third round.
Kavaliauskas is a common opponent for Avanesyan and Ortiz having fought the latter nine months ago. The Lithuanian put up a fine effort but was simply no match for the 2019 RING magazine prospect of the year, ending up being stopped in the eighth round.
Ortiz and Avanesyan are ranked one and two with the WBC, respectively, but no news yet on whether this fight will be ordered as a final eliminator for Errol Spence’s title.