Vergil Ortiz Jr overcomes Israil Madrimov after thrilling 12-round battle

Vergil Ortiz Jr moved to 23-0 on Saturday night in Riyadh with a unanimous decision win over former WBA light welterweight champion Israil Madrimov. 

With Ortiz Jr and Madrimov talented fighters, it was cagey opening round with neither man giving much away. Madrimov’s movement was a frustration for Ortiz Jr. The Uzbek never stayed in the same position for a millisecond, making it difficult for Ortiz Jr to get any footing and land the power punches which have aided his rise through the ranks.

Madrimov was looking very comfortable, and in the third he began to throw some punches of his own with quick jabs. Ortiz Jr meanwhile was quiet when it came to his activity.

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Round four saw Ortiz Jr beginning to increase the pressure, and he managed to land a few left hands on a constantly moving Madrimov. The fifth saw Madrimov stand with Ortiz Jr and attempt to trade.

Ortiz Jr landed several jabs, but as the round progressed, Madrimov took plenty of pop shots with the right hand as Ortiz Jr continued to apply pressure.

Round six saw Ortiz Jr find success, especially with two left hooks to the body, with the first being felt by Madrimov who lost the ‘bounce’ in his footwork which was evident in the earlier rounds.

A whipping right hand from Madrimov in round eight saw him wrestle back momentum after a period of dominance from Ortiz Jr.

The American was on the offensive in the ninth. Right hands to the body slowed down Madrimov who was being drawn into a dog fight and Ortiz Jr made sure the round was his with quickfire combinations which snapped back Madrimov’s head.

Ortiz Jr continued to be in the ascendancy and round 10 saw him produce a perfect left hook to the head and then the body, something straight out of training camp. Ortiz Jr’s dominance was not the only thing Madrimov had to contend with the Uzbek picking up an injury to his nose.

Both men’s conditioning has to be commended with a close final two rounds, and Ortiz Jr left his mark in the twelfth with a thumping right uppercut which stunned Madrimov.

Madrimov's strong start was one which he failed to capitalise with Ortiz Jr and his team able to adapt to the constantly moving Uzbek. By landing plenty of punches to slow down Madrimov and draw him into trading blows, Ortiz Jr's superior power came out on top and secured him a win on all three judges' scorecards with scores of 117-111, 115-113 and 115-113. 

Vergil Ortiz Jr may have to wait for big fight, Israil Madrimov fails on big stage - Analysis from Christopher Walker in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Ortiz may well be the world’s best 154lbs fighter, but he may have to wait for Jaron Ennis to move up before he features in a major fight again.

The Texan will want to pursue a possible showdown with Terence Crawford, but with the pound-for-pound star only focused on Canelo Alvarez, Ortiz may have to look elsewhere.

For Madrimov, he may struggle for to find the spotlight again following two losses and the Ortiz display largely being negative.Madrimov has plenty of skills, but his reluctance to be aggressive and take risks has now cost him big in two huge fights.

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