As fight fans are no doubt aware, Tim Tszyu has been forced to pull out of his Aug 3 fight with Vergil Ortiz Junior. The nasty cut to his forehead that Tszyu picked up in his upset loss to Sebastian Fundora has been deemed too bad and not yet fully healed by the medical experts, so the fight is unfortunately off.
Tszyu is said to be angry and very disappointed at what has happened. Ortiz Jr will, of course, also be less than happy. But the word from ESPN is the show may well go on in L.A. The stacked card, which Terence Crawford will headline against Israil Madrimov, could now see Ortiz Jr face Serhii Bohachuk of Ukraine. The 29 year old who now lived in Los Angeles, scored a big win last time out, this when he scored a decision win over Brian Mendoza on the Fundora vs Tszyu card (Mendoza of course the only man to have beaten Fundora).
Both the WBC interim champ at 154 and the WBC mandatory challenger, Bohachuk, currently 24-1(23), is certainly a good fighter, and he can bang. Tom Loeffler spoke with ESPN about his fighter and his interest in fighting Ortiz.
Though Bohachuk is, as Loeffler says, in a great position as interim champ and mandatory challenger, he could take the fight. Loeffler said This would be a natural fight for Los Angeles, as both warriors live there.
It is to be hoped that this fight does get made. Ortiz against Bohachuk is a solid matchup, while it would be a real shame if the streaking Ortiz lost out on the date and the card of August 3.
