Welterweight contender Vergil Ortiz Jr. will return to the ring on August 6, 2022, but he may not be fighting David Avanesyan. After initial reports suggested that Ortiz Jr. would fight Avanesyan on August 6, 2022, it appears that Avanesyan will reportedly be replaced by Michael McKinson. McKinson and Ortiz Jr. were reportedly set to fight in March, but the Texas native pulled out of the fight after being diagnosed with rhabdomyolysis.
Vergil Ortiz Jr. is a 24-year-old welterweight phenom from Dallas, Texas with a record of 18-0. The Texas native last fought in August at The Ford Center in Frisco, Texas. He stopped Egidijus “Mean Machine” Kavaliauskas in the eighth round just a few months after stopping Maurice Hooker in the seventh round.
Michael McKinson is also a welterweight contender with a perfect record of 22-0. Contrary to Ortiz Jr., only two of McKinson’s wins have come by way of knockout while the Texas native has stopped all 18 of his opponents. In March, McKinson earned a unanimous decision victory against Alex Martin at the Galen Center in Los Angeles, California.
Ortiz Jr. and McKinson are expected to headline DAZN’s August 6, 2022 broadcast at an unspecified location.
