Virgil's Victory or a Draw? Experts Weigh In on Bohachuk vs. Ortiz Fight

In the early hours of August 11th, a bout for the interim WBC super welterweight title (up to 69.9 kg) took place in Las Vegas, USA, between Ukrainian Serhii Bohachuk (24-2, 23 KOs) and American Vergil Ortiz Jr. (22-0, 21 KOs).

The fighters were unable to determine a clear winner during regular time, leading to a majority decision in favor of Ortiz after 12 rounds.

The Ukrainian, who knocked Ortiz down twice, and his team are dissatisfied with the judges' decision, firmly believing they had won. But what does the boxing world think?

American promoter Lou DiBella: “What a f****** incredible fight between Ortiz and Bohachuk! I would have called it a draw... maybe because I don’t need a loser!” Lou DiBella tweeted.

Head of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority Turki Al-Sheikh: “That was a remarkable fight. I believe it was a draw. We are planning a fight between Ortiz and Crawford, but if a rematch with this guy (Serhii Bohachuk) happens in the future, it will be incredible. We’re considering Crawford vs. Ortiz, but we’re also open to supporting a rematch,” Turki said in an interview with Fight Hub TV.

American boxer Ryan Garcia: “He didn’t take it from the champion. The Ukrainian either won, or it was a draw. Especially considering how Ortiz spoke about it,” Ryan noted on Twitter.

Former American champion Caleb Plant: “Close fights shouldn’t be seen as a robbery, and if you’re scoring it (which is the only way to judge a fight without a stoppage), it was a very close fight. Hell of a performance from both guys, and I’m sure I speak for all of us when I say: ‘Thank you for the Fight of the Year.’ I definitely think Vergil won. He landed much more effective punches and cleaner shots. He was the aggressor. Great job, guys,” Plant tweeted.

Four-division world champion Nonito Donaire: “It was an incredibly close fight. Bohachuk landed a lot of punches, and Vergil also dominated many rounds. The fight could have gone either way, it was that close. But it was truly an amazing fight. Congratulations to the winner. Vergil put on a brilliant performance. He showed courage in a fight where he was knocked down for the first time. I’m proud of him; he did an incredible job. Also, congratulations to Robert Garcia and everyone else – it was wonderful. The fight was excellent. The opponent was very tough,” Donaire told Title Sports Network.

Former champion Sergio Mora: “Just finished watching the Bohachuk – Ortiz fight, and it was a true spectacle! Both knockdowns were clean, but the 10-8 scores in those rounds weren’t clear-cut since Ortiz quickly recovered and regained control. It was a tough fight to score, but in my opinion, Bohachuk deserved more credit. Ortiz's hooks and body shots were powerful, but Bohachuk’s right hands clearly shook Vergil. This was a Fight of the Year contender, and I’d love to see a rematch. But I’m not sure we’ll get one. Fights like these take a toll on a career,” Mora tweeted.