WBO number one contender Vergil Ortiz Jr is looking to make up for lost time having not fought since his impressive win over Egidijus Kavaliauskas last year.
By the time he faces Michael McKinson on August 6 in Texas it will have been nearly one year since the undefeated welterweight picked up his 18th career win.
Ortiz at a recent virtual media roundtable said:
“We are ready to go.”
“I really want to get back into the ring. By the time I fight this August, it will almost be a whole year. I would love to fight at least twice this year and stay even busier next year.”
Ortiz v McKinson had been due to go ahead back in March, but illness put the 24-year-old in hospital postponing the fight. The British welterweight may not have got the opportunity he wanted at the time but a win against late replacement Alex Martin ensured the trip to Los Angeles had not been a waste of time.
“I was very disappointed that I didn’t get to fight [on March 19] especially since we found out I wasn’t able to go on, literally, the week of the fight,” Ortiz recalled.
“It’s not like I wanted to waste a whole training camp and some months before that; that’s not me. I did see Michael McKinson fight that night. I didn’t think too much about it. First of all, he fought someone who had a completely different style than I. But we are aware of how he fights, so we have a little more tape to go off of.
“Michael McKinson is ranked (fifth) by the WBO, he’s undefeated, it would look good on my résume if I defeat him. He’s a good fighter.”