Ortiz just needed to get past Thomas Dulorme on the weekend to lock in his fight with Tszyu, and the Texan wasted little time in sending the veteran Dulorme crumbling to the canvas courtesy of a vicious body shot.
The left hook to the liver was the type of shot we’re more accustomed to seeing from Tszyu, who earned his ‘Soul Taker’ nickname with a string of savage body attack stoppages.
Ortiz’s win came just 2:39 into the first round in Fresno, California and sees Ortiz Jr confirm his August 3 bout against Tszyu.
“Hey Tim, man, I know you’re watching this fight right now – I’m ready for you, man,” Ortiz Jr said afterwards.
“Let’s get ready and put on the best show for these folks.”
The shock fight was all but confirmed last week and will take place on the undercard to Terence Crawford’s super-welterweight debut against Israill Madrimov. Former heavyweight champion Andy Ruiz fights Jarrell Miller and Isaac Cruz defends his WBA super-lightweight world title against Jose Valenzuela on the same card, which has been touted as one of the best ever held in America.
A fearsome puncher, Ortiz has now won all 21 of his fights by stoppage, including back-to-back first round knockouts since moving from welterweight to super-welterweight.
Questions have been asked about whether the former welterweight star is targeting Tszyu too early, but the 26-year-old laughed off those concerns.
“I just want to fight the best,” he said. “I don’t care if it’s the right time or not.
“People are judging my opponent selection. I don’t choose my opponents, I just take them out. That’s all I have to do. That’s my job.
“I’m gonna take everybody out.”
Tszyu will start his training camp on Monday ahead of his comeback from a bloody split decision defeat to Sebastian Fundora in March, and was watching Ortiz Jr closely.
“Me and Vergil Ortiz is the real main event,” Tszyu tweeted. “See you soon buddy!”
Ortiz Jr’s promoter, boxing legend Oscar de la Hoya, predicting another quick night for his fighter.
“With Tim Tszyu, it’s going to be a war,” De la Hoya said. “I’m a thousand per cent confident in my guy, but you can’t sleep on Tim Tszyu.
“I love his style, his aggression, and his power. This fight will be a clash of the titans.
“Vergil Ortiz stopping this fight in one round will give him the confidence to go back to the gym and I promise you, he will knock Tim Tszyu out.”
Ortiz was playing video games last week when his dad told him about the chance to fight Tszyu, and the American said he’s ready to show the world what he can do.
“It was a very calculated shot,” he said after knocking out Dulorme.
“I’m more than just power. People think I’m just power, that I’m just a truck. This truck is thinking over here.
“I knew it was over. I heard him going down and the way he went down, I knew it was a wrap.
“I feel like everything’s in place and we’re ready to face the top dogs.”
Originally published as ‘I’m ready for you’: Tim Tszyu’s opponent, Vergil Ortiz, sends message with sickening knockout win
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