According to Dan Rafael of ESPN.com, Ring Magazine’s prospect of the year Victor Ortiz has finally stepped up his competition:
Junior welterweight Victor Ortiz, the 2008 ESPN.com prospect of the year, will take on former titleholder Vivian Harris in a crossroads bout.
”We have agreed to the terms, but I am waiting for the paperwork. But the fight is on,” Harris promoter Gary Shaw said. “For Vivian, if he wants to continue the quest, he has to beat Victor Ortiz or there may not be a tomorrow. For Ortiz, it will be a major notch on his belt to beat somebody like Vivian Harris.”
Ortiz (23-1-1, 18 KOs), 21, is one of the fastest rising talents in boxing. Given the prime co-featured slot on the Dec. 6 Manny Pacquiao-Oscar De La Hoya undercard, Ortiz overwhelmed Jeff Resto for a second-round knockout in his closing argument for prospect of the year honors.
After his last ‘fight’ everyone was calling for Ortiz to fight someone who could test him. I have to say that Vivian Harris has to be just about the perfect opponent to gauge where Ortiz is at as a fighter. The 21 year old is really stepping up his opposition with this fight and a win over Harris makes him a clear-cut top ten fighter in the Junior Welterweight division. It’s good to see not only young fighters who are willing to put themselves to the test but fighters management not being afraid to see their guy in a hard fight. Ortiz has a loss and a draw on his record, but really, so what? He’s obviously learnt from those ‘blemishes’ and has improved past the fighters he didn’t beat.
The Ortiz-Harris fight is the co-feature to what promises to be a slugfest between undefeated puncher James Kirkland (24-0, 21 KOs) and Joel Julio (34-2, 31 KOs). Kirkland is coming off a war with Brian Vera on the Hatton-Malignaggi undercard, which he won by 8th round stoppage. Julio recently dropped a 12 round decision to WBO 154lb Champion Sergei Dzinziruk, a fight he took on shortish notice. With both of these guys styles, this fight looms as a potential fight of the year candidate.
