Vergil Ortiz could return to the ring before the end of the year, according to Golden Boy Promotions founder Oscar de la Hoya.
The 25-year-old, once one of the sport's brightest young stars, has fought only once in the last two years when he finished Michael McKinson in the ninth round of a welterweight bout August 6, 2022, in Texas.
The boxer, who has a perfect pro record of 19 knockouts from 19 wins, has a complex medical history that includes multiple bouts with COVID-19 and also rhabdomyolysis — where muscle fibers break down and can lead to kidney failure.
"My team had a talk with him," de la Hoya said in an interview this week with Fight Hype. "They flew to Texas with his manager [Rick Mirigian], they had a great conversation with his father, and with Vergil. He’s ready to come back."
De la Hoya added: "We have a date ready for him in December."
Aside from Ortiz's sole fight in the last two years, he has had other fights scheduled. He was supposed to fight McKinson in March, last year, but withdraw citing illness. He was also due too box Eimantas Stanionis a number of times but, again, it was delayed and delayed before eventually collapsing altogether.
For de la Hoya, it is imperitive that Ortiz's health comes first, and he is advising that the fighter leave the confines of 147 and move to super welterweight at 154, or even middleweight at 160.
"We strongly feel it’s for his best that he moves up in weight to 154, even 160 if he wants to," de la Hoya said.
"I think health is first, health is very important so we want to make sure Vergil Ortiz is very ready, health-wise in order to, again, compete for a world title. He’s right there, ready to compete against anybody."
Regardless of who Ortiz fights should he compete in December, or indeed, should he eventually challenge for a world championship in those higher divisions, de La Hoya is confident of one thing — victory.
"Vergil Ortiz is one of the best fighters on the planet and he will beat anybody at 154 or 160," he said.
