Vergil Ortiz Jr vs Fredrick Lawson summary online, round by round, stats and highlights
Vergil Ortiz Jr back, gets puzzling stoppage over Fredrick Lawson
Tony Weeks strikes again
It was meant to be a great moment. Vergil Ortiz is a hard puncher, knocking out everyone that he has faced. Fredrick Lawson is a wily point scorer. Banger vs boxer. And while the expectation was that Ortiz would get Lawson out of there, nobody imagined that it would be done the way it turned out.
It would be a stretch to refer to this as a robbery. Lawson was not likely to be able to stay in the fight with Ortiz for a full 12 rounds. But in the sense that the fans paid good money to see a competitive fight, then perhaps it was a robbery of sorts. And the fans are the victims. The perpetrator? Referee Tony Weeks. Again.
Weeks is getting something of a reputation for this kind of thing, having stopped the fight between Romero and Barroso in the ninth round because he believed the 40-year-old Barroso was taking unnecessary punishment. Fans disagreed. Barroso disagreed. Even Romero disagreed.
The moment in tonight's bout came with a minute to go in the first round, when Ortiz landed a right hand behind Lawson's ear, staggering Lawson momentarily and encouraging Ortiz to jump in and throw a flurry of shots. Lawson looked to be in the process of composing himself, covering up nicely and blocking most of what came his way, leaning on the ropes and weathering the storm.
But he would never be allowed to see if he could work his way through this crisis. Weeks decided that he had seen enough and stepped in. The crowd erupted in loud boos. Lawson protested, as did his corner.
This happens in boxing all the time. Fighters are momentarily wobbled. Particularly if the shot lands on or near the ear, the center of the body's balance system. They cover up, protect themselves, weather the storm and get their wits back about them. Survive to fight another day.
What makes this stoppage all the more galling is the fact that this is coming from Tony Weeks, a supremely experienced referee. And, I hasten to add, a very good referee. With 30 years experience, he has presided over some of the biggest, and best fights of recent memory.
But this, I am afraid to say, Tony, is a blemish on your record. You are better than this.
Now, in fairness to Weeks, he said after the fight that he saw Lawson's eyes roll back when he was on the ropes. With no standing eight count in effect, he had no choice but to stop the fight. Who can say what really happened?
Vergil Ortiz is definitely back and boxing will be better for it. But this is a bitter pill to swallow and not at all the way that anyone wanted to see him return.
GOODBYE!!!
That is going to do it for our live coverage of Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs Fredrick Lawson. We hope that you enjoyed it as much as we did!
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The stoppage
Tony Weeks says that he saw Fredrick Lawson's eyes roll back and that is why he decided to step in.
Just for the record, the crowd were chanting "Tony Weeks sucks!"
Virgil thought it was "Ortiz sucks!" but he was incorrect.
Vergil Ortiz Jr. wins by TKO
Both men come out working orthodox and Ortiz is quick to try and establish that double jab, landing it on the guard, but looking to feel his man out early.
Lawson comes back with the jab of his own but Ortiz answers with a hard one two. Most shots are landing on the guard of Lawson but they serve to keep that guard up high.
Ortiz lands a hard jab and has Lawson rocked a bit. He covers and goes onto the ropes and referee Tony Weeks steps straight in to stop it! What? That is crazy!
The crowd boo loudly and Lawson and his corner protest vociferously, and rightly so! That was a bad stoppage by Weeks.
Lawson was not hurt in any real sense, it was too soon to even consider stepping in. Ortiz was only just beginning to get warmed up and Lawson could have conceivably recovered. In fact, his guard was still up, and very few of Ortiz's shots actually landed. Most were blocked. That is poor.
Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs Fredrick Lawson
Now on to the main event! Dallas, Texas' Vergil Ortiz Jr. is back after medical issues kept him out of the ring for 17 months now. He is stepping up in weight to meet Ghana's Fredrick Lawson in a 12 round junior middleweight match.
Stunning knockout!
Even if you were in the Barroso camp, nobody had this going this way, this early. What a shot!
Ismael Barroso wins by TKO
Davies comes out working from the orthodox stance while Barroso works from the southpaw side. Barroso lands a huge left hook to start things off, an eye catching shot.
Barroso is the older fighter but the heavier hitter, and he pounds a huge left hand straight onto Davies' chin and Davies is down! He is not in a good way! The ref lets it continue but Davies is in a bad way!
Barroso knocks him down again and this time the ref waves it off! Davies was not responsive to the ref! That was explosive!
Ohara Davies vs Ismael Barroso
Now one of the co-main events, with a 12 round bout for the vacant WBA interim junior welterweight title between England's Ohara Davies and Venezuela's Ismael Barroso.
Arnold Barboza Jr. wins by TKO
The corner of Xolisani Ndongeni decide to pull their man on the stool. That is it! Arnold Barboza Jr. wins!
Ndongeni is game and comes out throwing punches, but he is running on fumes now. Barboza is cutting off the rign, landing jabs, and getting things ready for that big right.
A left hook wobbles Ndongeni and Barboza steps on the gas, heading in and landing another big hook! The round ends but this is getting crazy!
Barboza comes out throwing that right hand and Ndongeni is trying to answer it back, trading with a more powerful puncher.
The fight is now being dragged inside a bit more and Barboza is landing heavy body blows here. A huge right hand right at the bell snaps Ndongeni's head back and he looks exhausted.
Barboza comes out trying to finish this off, throwing a huge right hand. Ndongeni tries to punch his way back into this, throwing a flurry of shots, but the power differential is obvious. Ndongeni lands a lot of peppery shots, but the hands of Barboza pack thunder. Every shot he lands causes damage.
A huge right hand lands flush on Ndongeni's chin and he is wobbled! The bell comes in but he felt that!
Barboza lands a huge right hand to start the round and Ndongeni is wobbled!
He recovers quickly but that had him shaken. Barboza stays on the front foot but cautiously. Barboza lands another big right hand. Ndongeni holds on but Barboza gets him onto the ropes and unloads combo after combo! The bell can't come quickly enough for Ndongeni!
With 30 seconds to go, Barboza lands a huge uppercut! Ndongeni stumbles back onto the ropes, praying for the bell! He survives it but only just!
Barboza comes out with a hard one two that gives Ndongeni something to think about, but the South African is back in quickly with a flurry of his own. Barboza comes in with a three punch combo, catching Ndongeni with a left uppercut on the way out.
Ndongeni comes in for a low jab and Barboza catches him cleanly with a stiff one two.
Ndongeni comes out with a big right hand but doesn't land it cleanly. Barboza takes the shots that are thrown his way, parrying them off the guard and looks to be the stronger of the two punchers. But the sheer quantity of punches thrown by Ndongeni lead to a cut over Barboza's left eye.
Ndongeni comes out with a great flurry of combos, landing a jab and a nice left hook, but Barboza slows him with a cleanly landed left hook of his own.
Barboza lands a stiff right hand, set up with a left hook to the body and Ndongeni's head is snapped back.
They both come in with a shot and Barboza lands a hard right, directly on the chin. It stops Ndongeni cold, just as the round ends.
Both men come out working from the orthodox stance. Ndongeni has a wide stance, while Barboza is more upright. They are feeling each other out in the early minutes here and trade jabs.
A great overhand right by Ndongeni is countered by a sharp counter right from Barboza.
Arnold Barboza Jr. vs Xolisani Ndongeni
We move on to a 10 round, junior welterweight bout between California's Arnold Barboza Jr. and South Africa's Xolisani Ndongeni.
Raul Curiel wins by TKO
Diaz is still in the fight, not enough to change the outcome, but he is all heart. His corner wants to stop it, but he is determined to show that he has more to offer. But you have to feel that this is all just going one way.
Curiel lands a huge left hand that stumbles Diaz back onto the ropes! That is it! The ref steps in and stops the fight! No waiting or mucking about, just a straight stoppage, and that was a good stoppage if you ask me.
Diaz is a warrior and he would have stayed in there until he was killed. There is no need for that. Curiel was in control and just causing damage on top of damage.
The referee starts the round by warning Diaz that he needs to see something here if he wants to avoid the referee stepping in to stop it.
Curiel comes out throwing that hard combinations, landing both hands cleanly.
Diaz lands enough shots to stay in the fight, and makes it to the bell.
The doctor lets the fight continue and Diaz comes out throwing, hoping against hope that he can punch his way out of this trouble, but he is effectively blind in that lead eye. Curiel is landing everything that he wants to. He lands another right hand and Diaz stumbles back onto the ropes!
Diaz survives it but you have to feel that it is only a matter of time. He has heart but he can't see.
Curiel walks Diaz down, landing a left hook and feinting the right to come with the uppercut.
Miraculously, Diaz manages to slow the fight enough to get to the end of the round.
Curiel lands a great one-two followed by a clean left hook, snapping Diaz's head back. Diaz tries to up the tempo, perhaps in an effort to work his way out of this mess, but Curiel is boxing clever, waiting for the counter opportunity and landing virtually every uppercut that he throws.
Diaz's eye is swelling and he is looking like it is giving him trouble.
A great uppercut catches Diaz's body and he is clearly hurt. Right on the 10-second clapper Curiel lands a peach of an overhand right and Diaz crumples! He is down and although he gets up, beating the count, the bell ends the round, but that was all about that eye!
The doctor comes over to the corner and looks at the eye.
Curiel comes out and claims the center of the ring. Diaz is cagey, not working as quickly as he did in the last round. Curiel catches Diaz cleanly and blood flies off of a cut over Diaz's left eye.
Curiel is able to wait and catch a visibly slower Diaz with the counter, landing it each time that he comes in.
Curiel lands a nice overhand right and Diaz's face is covered in blood. That cut is small but it is flowing.
Diaz comes out swinging and tries to build on the good work that he was doing at the end of round two. He lands a sharp triple jab that snaps Curiel's head back.
Curiel wraps Diaz up to slow the assault and Diaz comes back in with some great work, one-twos and sharp jabs. Diaz is moving quickly, keeping a high pace to the fight.
Curiel lands a hard body shot and Diaz shows a wince. That got his attention. Another uppercut comes through the middle and Diaz is rocked! He is still moving but not with any conviction. The bell sounds and Curiel is warming into this.
Both men try to stake out the center of the ring, going in hard and refusing to back down. This leads to some stiff jabs and clinches.
The middle of the round slows somewhat as they both become slightly more cagey. Garcia lands a hard back hand and Diaz's mouth starts to bleed.
Diaz lands a nice left hook and a solid right to follow it up.
Both men come out working from the orthodox stance. Curiel is 13-0 and fought for Mexico in the 2016 Olympics. Diaz is 12-1.
Diaz throws a nice one-two, very fast hands. Curiel responds with a nice pawing jab and a check left stops Diaz's next attack.
A peach of a left hook catches Diaz as the bell sounds. Tidy round from both fighters.
PRELIMINARY BOUT: Raul Curiel vs Elias Diaz
We kick off the evening with a 10 round welterweight contest between Mexico's Raul Curiel and Elias Diaz from San Diego.
Davies Barroso is tasty!
This is going to be a great matchup! Who do you have as the winner here?
Ortiz Jr. was expected to fight the dangerous Eimantas Staniosis, and both men were scheduled to meet in the ring on two occasions, but the American had to withdraw for not being physically ready.
Meanwhile, Lawson’s last fight took place in April, when he got his hand raised against Estevan Villalobos after winning a unanimous decision.
Our own Fidel Rubio gives us his pick for the winner tonight right here.
One of the most relentless and aggressive fighters in boxing, Vergil Ortiz Jr., will make his comeback after one and a half years of inactivity due to health issues.
He will take on Fredrick Lawson, a 34-year-old Ghanaian fighter who hasn’t had convincing performances in his last three fights but who will be looking to pull off an upset at The Theater at Virgin Hotels, in Las Vegas, on Saturday night.
Our own Fidel Rubio will take a look at the rundown for tonight's bouts here.
The Full Card
Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs Fredrick Lawson [12 rounds, junior middleweight]
Ohara Davies vs Ismael Barroso [12 rounds, for vacant WBA interim junior welterweight title]
Arnold Barboza Jr. vs Xolisani Ndongeni [0 rounds, junior welterweight]
Raul Curiel vs Elias Diaz [10 rounds welterweight]
Johnny Canas vs Jose Valenzuela Alvarado [4 rounds junior welterweight]
Emiliano Gandara vs Isaac Matamoros [4 rounds junior middleweight]
The main card is set to get underway at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT.
Tale of the tape
Vergil Ortiz Jr
Age: 25
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 5ft 10in
Reach: 70”
Record: 19-0-0
Fredrick Lawson
Age: 34
Stance: Orthodox
Height: 5ft 9in
Reach: 70”
Record: 30-3-0
WELCOME!!!
Welcome to Diario AS USA’s live coverage of Vergil Ortiz Jr’s return to the ring against Fredrick Lawson from The Theater at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas, Nevada.
One of the most exciting fighters in boxing, Vergil Ortiz Jr comes into this bout for the first time in his career with question marks hanging over him. The WBA Welterweight champ is 19-0 and has KO’ed every man he has faced. But he has been inactive for 17 months, pulling out of two title defenses against Lithuanian Eimantas Stanionis on health grounds.
Now, he has not only decided to come back, but to step up, fighting at junior middleweight. Until Friday, Ortiz has never come in at over 147 pounds for a fight. Tonight he fights at 156.
His opponent will be Ghanaian-born, Chicago-based Fredrick Lawson, who is being seen as a tune-up opponent by the Ortiz camp. Lawson is adamant that Ortiz’s hubris will be his undoing.
“I’ve had a very good camp leading up to this event,” says Lawson. “We’re well prepared. We’ve seen a few scripts going around, but we have a surprise for everyone on Saturday because we’ve come to spoil that script. We are going to spoil their party. We’re gonna come with all guns blazing.”
To his credit, Lawson has some quality decision wins on his 30-3 record, including a unanimous decision against Estevan Villalobos his last time out.
On the undercard, there is a tasty matchup between England’s Ohara Davies (25-2, 18 KOs) and Venezuela’s Ismael Barroso (24-4-2, 22 KOs) for the vacant WBA interim super lightweight title.