The bout between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Tim Tszyu, set for Aug. 3, was derailed when it was revealed that the forehead gash Tszyu sustained in his March loss against Sebastian Fundora had not healed as expected. Following the announcement, Ryan Garcia stepped up, volunteering to move up two weight classes to replace Tszyu and face Ortiz.
“I love Vergil. He’s my homie, but if I have to step in I will,” Garcia posted on social media Thursday.
“Stop playing with me. I’m up 3-0 on my boy.”
Ortiz responded positively, saying, “I got a call saying you want to step in and replace Tim. I already gave my manager Rick Mirigian the green light to make it happen. Let’s make this happen, Ryan, don’t let me down! I’ll see you Aug 3.”
Both fighters are promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, with Oscar De La Hoya frequently suggesting that a bout between the two was inevitable. Ortiz acknowledged this possibility in a 2022 interview:
“If we end up fighting each other one day, or if the opportunity is there, we’ll take the money, fight a good fight, and leave it all in there. It would be cool.”
Originally, the Ortiz vs. Tszyu fight was scheduled to be part of a high-profile undercard headlined by Terence Crawford and Israil Madrimov in Los Angeles, supported by Saudi Arabian investments. With Tszyu's withdrawal, boxing power broker Turki Alalshikh promised upgraded fights to maintain the card's prestige.
Garcia, looking to clear his name after a positive test for a banned substance before his dominant win over Devin Haney in April, is eager for a new challenge. He has been vocal about moving to 147 pounds and has called out Errol Spence Jr. and Sebastian Fundora at 154 pounds in recent weeks.
Ortiz is coming off back-to-back first-round knockout victories against Thomas Dulorme in April and Fredrick Lawson in January, following an injury-plagued two years. If the Garcia vs. Ortiz bout materializes, it will be an explosive clash.
Image Credit: DAZN