Virgil Ortiz Jr. knocks out Lawson, asks Tzu

With Lawson against the ropes, Ortiz Jr. began a flurry of left hooks to the body and right hands until referee Weeks stopped the action at 2 minutes, 33 seconds into the first round.

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Virgil Ortiz Jr. earned a first-round technical knockout victory in a fight stopped by referee Tony Weeks in Las Vegas on Saturday and a fierce protest by his opponent Frederick Lawson.

Ortiz Jr., in his first fight in 17 months, floored Lawson with a back-up jab. With Lawson against the ropes, Ortiz Jr. (20-0, 20 KOs) unleashed a flurry of left hooks to the body and rights until referee Weeks stopped the action at 2 minutes, 33 seconds into the first round.

Weeks told DAZN’s Beto Duran that he stopped the fight because he could see Lawson’s eyes rolling in his head. Lawson, a 34-year-old Ghanaian who entered the fight as a big underdog, protested passionately.

“I think he survived,” said Ortiz Jr., who was making his junior middleweight debut. “I was hurting him with all the punches. I wasn’t really putting anything behind him… I love to fight. I wish I could have moved on. I needed the round.”

Since March 2022, Ortiz has pulled out of three fights due to health issues related to rhabdomyolysis, a condition that occurs when damaged muscle tissue releases its proteins and electrolytes into the blood.

Ortiz Jr. is ranked No. 1 at 147 pounds by ESPN. 3 when he faced Eimantas Stanionis last year. That fight was postponed three times; Twice after Stanionis’ emergency appendectomy and later due to recurrence of Ortiz Jr.’s rhabdomyolysis.

With his health restored, Ortiz Jr. returns Saturday in a 156-pound bout to shake off the rust. And he did it with famed trainer Robert Garcia in his corner after the split in 2021.

Ortiz Jr., a Dallas area native, maintained his perfect knockout record with a victory over Lawson (30-4, 22 KOs). Now he wants his first shot at a world title.

“I’m ready for anybody,” said Ortiz Jr., whose breakout 2021 campaign included distance wins over Maurice Hooker and Agidijus Kavliauskas. “I feel like I’m back to doing what I used to do. This is my calling; this is what I live for.”

Ortiz Jr. challenged WBO Junior Middleweight Champion Tim Tzu.

“With all due respect, I would love to fight you,” Ortiz Jr. said in his notice. “I think you’re a great fighter and let’s be this… I want to fight the best.”

Ortiz Jr.’s promoter, Hall of Fame fighter Oscar De La Hoya, said Ortiz “will also go to Australia to fight Tim Tzu.”

Tzu, son of Hall of Famer Kostya Tzu, responded in a post on X welcoming Ortiz Jr. to the 154-pound division, saying, “I’ve always been interested in the modern classic.”