Vergil Ortiz Jr. Wins Unanimous Decision in Riyadh

Vergil Ortiz Jr. successfully defended his WBC interim junior middleweight title against Israil Madrimov in a tightly contested match at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, winning by unanimous decision. Despite a slow start where Madrimov's superior movement and punching accuracy put Ortiz on the back foot, Ortiz's persistence and power punches in the later rounds swayed the judges in his favor. Both fighters demonstrated excellent conditioning, coming in underweight, indicating their serious commitment to the bout. Post-fight, Ortiz expressed confidence in his skills, suggesting he was the superior fighter despite Madrimov's impressive performance. This victory keeps Ortiz in line for a potential title shot against WBC champion Sebastian Fundora. The fight was part of a high-profile card that included other notable bouts like Beterbiev vs. Bivol, adding to the event's prestige.