Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin Join Debate as Legendary Trainer Challenges Serhii Bohachuk’s Promoter Over Controversial Claims
In the wake of Vergil Ortiz Jr.‘s narrow victory over Serhii Bohachuk last weekend, the boxing world has erupted in a frenzy of debate. Ortiz secured a majority decision win at the Mandalay Bay Hotel & Casino, but the outcome has been fiercely contested by Bohachuk’s promoter, Tom Loeffler. Loeffler’s recent social media statements have sparked a fiery response from Ortiz’s trainer, Robert Garcia, who has enlisted boxing legends Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin to bolster his case.
The fight itself was a dramatic affair, characterized by fluctuating momentum. Bohachuk managed to knock Ortiz down in the first and eighth rounds, but Ortiz roared back with relentless aggression, particularly in the final rounds where he landed a decisive left hook that staggered Bohachuk. Despite the clear action, Loeffler has remained adamant that Bohachuk deserved to retain his WBC interim super lightweight title.
A couple of days after the fight concluded, Loeffler hopped on X to write, “Serhii arriving at his after Fight Party like the Champion that he is, face looking clean as he rolled with many punches”.
Loeffler’s Controversial Commentary
Following the bout, Loeffler took to social media to assert Bohachuk’s superiority. He posted a clip of Bohachuk at his after-party, emphasizing the clean state of the fighter’s appearance. “Serhii arriving at his after Fight Party like the Champion that he is, face looking clean as he rolled with many punches,” Loeffler wrote, adding that Ortiz’s face was visibly battered.
In a subsequent tweet, Loeffler offered some grudging praise for Ortiz and Garcia but insisted that the judges’ decision was flawed. “Credit to both fighters for putting on a great fight for the fans,” he wrote, noting the two knockdowns scored by Bohachuk. He also criticized Ortiz’s cutman for keeping Ortiz in the game despite his injuries, and concluded with a snide comment about Ortiz being hospitalized while Bohachuk enjoyed his post-fight celebrations.
However, he changes tone in the next sentence, writing, “Credit to both fighters for putting on a great fight for the fans,” Ortiz and Garcia, writing, “Credit to Vergil and Robert Garcia” for putting up a great fight.
And also Loeffler mentioned Ortiz’s cutman, crediting him for being able to keep Ortiz in the game despite “busted nose and swollen eyes” Ortiz suffered during the fight. Finally, the promoter couldn’t help but finish his statement with another jab at Ortiz. He wrote, “Vergil was still at the hospital for observation after they released Serhii to enjoy his after party”.
Robert Garcia’s Fiery Rebuttal
Garcia didn’t take Loeffler’s remarks lying down. He fired back with a scathing critique on X (formerly Twitter), questioning the impartiality of Loeffler’s comments. “Yeah, the same media that’s there at his after party. Just a coincidence, I’m sure Tom. Either way, great fight. But fights aren’t scored by how your face looks after the fight,” Garcia countered.
Garcia didn’t stop there. He drew a parallel between Loeffler’s current stance and his previous promotion of Gennady Golovkin, who fought Canelo Alvarez in a controversial trilogy. “I’m sure you thought GGG won all those Canelo fights but his face would say otherwise if this is true,” Garcia added, hinting at the contentious nature of Loeffler’s past promotional work.
“Yeah, the same media that’s there at his after party. Just a coincidence, I’m sure Tom. Either way great fight. But fights aren’t scored by how your face looks after the fight”, Garcia wrote.
This wasn’t the end, though. Garcia further added, “I’m sure you thought GGG won all those Canelo fights but his face would say otherwise if this is true”.
The Numbers Behind the Drama
The official CompuBox statistics from the Ortiz vs. Bohachuk fight provide a quantitative perspective on the bout. Despite Bohachuk throwing 85 more punches than Ortiz, the latter landed 40 more shots overall. Ortiz’s effective punching, particularly in the latter rounds, was crucial. He landed a total of 112 punches compared to Bohachuk’s 89 in the final stages, and in the championship rounds, Ortiz outpaced Bohachuk 56 to 40.
The judges’ scores reflected this dynamic, with two scoring the fight 114-112 in favor of Ortiz, while one judge called it a 113-113 draw. Ortiz’s performance, particularly his strong finish, underscores his claim to the interim title.
The Path Forward
Despite the official verdict, the controversy stirred by Loeffler’s statements and Garcia’s response suggests that this saga might not end here. The intensity of the debate raises the possibility of a rematch, as both fighters and their teams look to settle the score once and for all.