WORCESTER—The community is invited to help send Jamaine Ortiz off in grand style, as he heads to Las Vegas for a world title showdown against WBO Junior Welterweight Champion Teofimo Lopez.
Ortiz, who spoke to the Worcester Guardian last week, heads to Vegas with a 17-1-1 record to claim the title from Lopez, who heads into the ring at 19-1.
The matchup takes place on Feb. 8, but Ortiz is going west early to train nearby.
To cheer on this hometown hero, the community is invited to head to the Boys and Girls Club of Worcester (where Ortiz has done much of his training) at 65 Tainter St. on Thursday, Jan. 18, at noon.
This special event will include Mayor Joseph M. Petty and City Manager Eric D. Batista as well as Golden Gloves Hall of Famer and retired Boys and Girls Club boxing trainer Carlo Garcia, B&G Club Executive Director Liz Hamilton, and many others.
The Vegas bout is a rematch between two highly decorated fighters who met in 2015 for the National Golden Gloves Championship. Lopez won that fight. Lopez, who won the WBO belt from Josh Taylor, has said he is looking to put his division “on alert.”
Ortiz, known as “The Technician” for the methodical ways in which he often breaks down opponents, has long been regarded as the “Real Deal” locally and regionally. He opened eyes nationally and internationally in October 2022 when he went the distance with Vasiliy Lomachenko, a former Olympic gold medalist who is considered one of the best lightweights ever.
Ortiz is moving into the super lightweight division for this fight and will look to bring the title back to Worcester. He would be Worcester’s first world boxing champ since Jose Antonio Rivera, himself a three-time world champ in two different weight classes.
“Jamaine is ready for this,” said Rivera, who is organizing Thursday’s sendoff for his close friend. “He has earned this shot, and he is going to do Worcester proud.”
Contact Charlene Arsenault at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org
