Fredrick Lawson: We Have A Surprise For Everyone; We Are Going To Spoil [Ortiz’s] Party

Fredrick Lawson steered Thursday that Vergil Ortiz Jr. would possibly’ve underestimated what awaits him Saturday night time.

Ortiz, who has knocked out each skilled opponent in his 19-fight profession, is listed by DraftKings sportsbook as a 25-1 favourite to beat Lawson of their 12-round, 156-pound combat at Virgin Accommodations Las Vegas. The percentages are so vast as a result of the Ghanaian-born, Chicago-based Lawson (30-3, 22 KOs) has been knocked out thrice and is seen as a tune-up kind of foe for Ortiz, who will finish a 17-month layoff in a major occasion DAZN will stream.

Not so, based on what Lawson said throughout their press convention.

“I’ve had an excellent camp main as much as this occasion,” Lawson stated, based on his translator. “We’re nicely ready. We’ve seen just a few scripts going round, however we’ve a shock for everybody on Saturday as a result of we’ve come to spoil that script. We’re going to spoil their celebration, imagine us or not. Once more, we’re trying ahead to Saturday. … We’re gonna include all weapons blazing. Proper? So, let’s all look ahead to Saturday, and don’t blink.”

Lawson, 34, gained each of his bouts in 2023. Charles Hatley (30-3-1, 21 KOs) stopped him within the tenth spherical of a welterweight combat, although, in September 2021 in Dallas, Hatley’s hometown.

His two earlier knockout losses, each TKOs, got here in opposition to Venezuela’s Juan Ruiz (then 22-4) in March 2019 in Philadelphia and Quebec’s Kevin Bizier (then 24-2) in November 2015 in Miami.

The 25-year-old Ortiz hasn’t fought since he stopped England’s Michael McKinson (26-1, 4 KOs) in the course of the ninth spherical of their August 2022 bout at Ford Heart at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

Ortiz (19-0, 19 KOs) has had 4 fights postponed or canceled over the previous two years, three due to his bodily illnesses.

The McKinson match was postponed in March 2022 for 4 months as a result of Ortiz battled rhabdomyolysis, a dangerous muscle situation. A flareup of rhabdomyolysis additionally brought about the second postponement of his shot at WBA world welterweight champion Eimantas Stanionis (14-0, 9 KOs, 1 NC) final 12 months.

Their 147-pound championship conflict was first postponed resulting from Stanionis’ appendectomy final January. Their ill-fated combat was postponed for the third time and in the end scrapped for good when extreme dehydration and warmth exhaustion landed Ortiz within the hospital two days earlier than they have been presupposed to sq. off July 8 at AT&T Heart in San Antonio.

Ortiz took six weeks off from coaching to let his physique get well. He additionally moved as much as the junior middleweight division to keep away from the injury executed by squeezing all the way down to the welterweight most of 147 kilos.

Oscar De La Hoya, Ortiz’s promoter, expects the Grand Prairie, Texas native to be the identical ferocious knockout artist he was when he final fought. De La Hoya additionally anticipates that Lawson will present extra resistance than the lopsided odds counsel.

“This combat’s not gonna be simple for Vergil,” De La Hoya instructed a gaggle of reporters after the press convention Thursday. “It’s not gonna be simple. I imply, [Lawson is] not gonna go anyplace. His opponent is true there, is robust, is highly effective. It is a hell of a comeback combat for Vergil and, you realize, we’ll have to attend and see what occurs.”

DAZN will stream three undercard bouts earlier than Ortiz opposes Lawson, beginning at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT).

Keith Idec is a senior author/columnist for BoxingScene.com. He may be reached on Twitter @Idecboxing.