North Texas boxer defending title against British up and comer at Dickies Arena
Grand Prairie boxer Vergil Ortiz Jr. and undefeated welterweight contender Michael McKinson will meet in a 12-round fight at Dickies Arena on Aug. 6.
Ortiz Jr., who is 18-0 with 18 knockouts, last fought in August 2021 when he beat Egidijus Kavaliauskas with a TKO. Ortiz Jr., 24, was scheduled to fight McKinson in March in Los Angeles but had to pull out because of a medical emergency.
McKinson, who hails from Portsmouth, Great Britain, is 22-0 with two knockouts.
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Tuesday at ticketmaster.com, dickiesarena.com, and at goldenboypromotions.com. Ticket price levels include $44, $82.50, $137.50, and $275, which does not include service charges. The fight will stream live worldwide on DAZN.
“I’m ready to show the world once again why I’m ready for a world title,” Ortiz Jr. said in a release.
McKinson, 27, said he deserved to get the rescheduled fight.
“I was prepared to fight Ortiz, Jr. before,” he said. “Now, I have been given the opportunity again to prove I am the best in this division.”
McKinson last fought Alex Martin on March 19 after Ortiz was forced to cancel.
Golden Boy Promotions chairman and CEO Oscar De La Hoya called Ortiz Jr. the “most exciting welterweight in the world.”
“We are happy that he is back, healthy, and feels 100%,” De La Hoya said. “Fighting in his home state, I can’t think of a better way for him to make his comeback and put on another great performance for his fans. He is one step away from challenging any world champion and he will prove it on August 6.”
This story was originally published June 16, 2022 at 1:27 PM.
