Undefeated Vergil Ortiz Jr claimed a dominant win against Thomas Dulorme on April 27 at Save Mart Center in Fresno, CA. The middleweight bout, serving as the co-feature to Jose Ramirez vs Rances Barthelemy, ended early.
Ortiz Jr (21-0, 21 KO) of Grand Prairie, Texas dropped Saint Martin’s former title challenger Dulorme (26-7-1, 17 KOs) with a big left body shot. Referee Thomas Taylor opened an eight count, but waved the fight off as the Carolina, Puerto Rico-based fighter wouldn’t get back on his feet. The official time was 2 minutes and 39 seconds into the first round.
“He was coming with everything,” Vergil Ortiz Jr said post-win. “I can’t explain how I know when to land a shot like that, I can just feel it. I knew it was over, he made a sound and the way he fell. We sparred like 7 years ago and a lot has changed. I was a kid back then. It’s an honor to share the ring with him. I feel like everything is where it needs to be.”
In his next fight on August 3 in Los Angeles, Ortiz Jr faces former WBO super welterweight champion Tim Tszyu (24-1, 17 KOs) of Australia. The bout is featured on the card headlined by Terence Crawford vs Israil Madrimov.
“I know you’re watching this fight, Tim Tszyu,” the 26-year-old said. “Just know I’m ready! I just want to fight the best. I don’t know why, they bring me opponents and I knock them out.”
In the main event, former unified super lightweight champion Jose Ramirez (29-1, 18 KOs) of Avenal, California defeated Las Vegas-based Cuban two-division world champion Rances Barthelemy (30-3-1, 15 KOs) by unanimous decision. Among other bouts, Argentina’s Gabriela Celeste Alaniz (15-1, 6 KOs) earned the unified WBO, WBC and WBA flyweight belts by split decision in the rematch against Marlen Esparza (14-2, 1 KO) of Houston, Texas.