This Saturday, at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, a potentially explosive battle will take place between Ukrainian Serhii Bohachuk (24-1-0, 23 KOs) and American Vergil Ortiz Jr (21-0-0, 21 KOs). The two powerful punchers will contend for the WBC interim super welterweight title, currently held by Bohachuk, and it is highly likely that the winner will soon get the opportunity to fight for the world title.
Serhii Bohachuk: An Indomitable Tank
With his height, reach, and ability to land straight punches, Bohachuk could have won many of his fights fighting from a distance without taking too many risks. But the Ukrainian has a warrior’s spirit and, as soon as he hears the bell, he transforms into an unstoppable tank seeking close-quarters combat. His high KO percentage, in addition to his natural power, is also tied to his inexhaustible stamina, allowing him to maintain a frenetic pace for twelve rounds, gradually breaking down his opponents. Many underestimate his defense due to the shocking loss to American Brandon Adams, but the feeling is that this setback was mainly due to overconfidence, leading Bohachuk, clearly ahead, to lower his concentration. In reality, Bohachuk’s defense, primarily based on excellent use of his arms to parry punches and agile body movements, is not easy to penetrate.
Vergil Ortiz Jr: The Texan Destroyer’s First Test at 154 Pounds
Everyone who has faced Vergil Ortiz so far has been overwhelmed by his power. Not surprisingly, none of the 21 opponents the Texan destroyer has faced have heard the final bell. Ortiz is devastating with both hands and has a wide array of options to unleash his power. Among these, his left uppercut to the body is a true gem, useful both as a finishing blow and as a tool to lower the opponent’s guard and expose their face. Now, the Golden Boy Promotions fighter will have to prove that his effectiveness remains intact as he moves from welterweight to super welterweight, a shift made necessary after his attempts to make 147 pounds had serious health repercussions. The two fights he has fought so far in the new category, both won in the first round, didn’t provide significant answers due to the not-so-exceptional level of his opponents. Saturday will be the moment of truth.
What Will Happen? Boxe Punch’s Prediction!
When two punchers accustomed to aggressively attacking their opponents and always controlling the initiative face off, two scenarios can develop. Sometimes one of them, recognizing the other’s greater solidity and consistency, might choose to fight as an outfighter, proposing an unprecedented tactical strategy. Other times, neither contender accepts abandoning their style, resulting in a fierce battle fought at close range.
Given the courage, determination, and self-confidence that Bohachuk and Ortiz have repeatedly demonstrated throughout their careers, the feeling is that Saturday will see the second scenario unfold. We will witness a breathtaking close-quarters battle between two warriors intent on knocking out their opponent.
It’s hard to say who will gain the upper hand at the start of such a scenario. On one hand, Ortiz’s greater speed, combined with his amazing power, makes him the likely candidate to land the most eye-catching and spectacular punches, which could sway the judges. On the other hand, Bohachuk’s greater work rate and his ability to pave the way with straight punches before unleashing hooks and uppercuts up close could be preferable to those who value the quantity of work over the impact of individual actions. Therefore, we might see several intense and balanced rounds with great disagreement among observers and experts about their correct attribution.
Once the match is in full swing, the answer to a crucial question will determine its course and especially its outcome: what effect will Ortiz’s punches have on Bohachuk? So far, no one has managed to withstand them without suffering significant and irreparable consequences, but the Ukrainian is a fighter of impressive size, used to battling real super welterweights and endowed with heart and pain tolerance. If his blows do not have the usual devastating effect in the early rounds, Ortiz could find himself in an unprecedented and potentially destabilizing situation.
If Bohachuk continues to advance and strike without showing signs of suffering and concern, he could really confuse his opponent’s psyche, disrupt his tactical plans, and push him to make mistakes. We don’t have enough evidence to say with certainty whether Ortiz would be able to come out of such a situation with his concentration intact and find an opening to land the decisive blow before it’s too late. But to stay true to the spirit of this column, I won’t shy away from making a prediction and will, as usual, give my hypothesis, based this time more on personal feelings than on objective evidence.
In my opinion, after a few fiery and hard-to-judge rounds, Bohachuk will start to take advantage, making his opponent uncomfortable with his frantic pace but will be caught off guard by a sudden and deadly blow that will mark his downfall. Therefore, I predict a KO victory for Vergil Ortiz Jr in the second half of the fight.