Ghana’s Frederick Lawson has an opportunity to relaunch his career on Saturday night.
Lawson will take on the undefeated and heavily favored Vergil Ortiz atop a Golden Boy Promotions card at the Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas.
Lawson (30-3, 23 KOs) and Ortiz (19-0, 19 KOs) will battle at a catchweight of 156lbs. as Ortiz who like Lawson is a long-time welterweight, looks to ease into the 154-pound division.
It’s been a rollercoaster of a career for Lawson. Once considered one of Ghana’s finest prospects, Lawson came to the USA with high hopes. He served as Manny Pacquiao’s sparring partner, absorbing lessons that led to him building a touted undefeated record and climbing to an IBF welterweight title eliminator versus Kevin Bizier in November 2015.
Lawson’s efforts fell short that night as he suffered an upset stoppage loss. Since then, Lawson has struggled to work his way back to title contention. The Bizier loss was followed by three wins over nondescript opposition. In March 2019, he was stopped in four rounds by the unheralded John Ruiz. Two fights later, Charles Hatley scored a 10th-round TKO over Lawson.
The defeats forced Lawson to take some time off and assess career plans. He has since won two straight, including a 10-round unanimous decision over Estevan Villalobos last April.
“It is a game and you have to live to fight another day so sometimes I don’t want to dwell on the past,” Lawson said. “I’m human and I have my own problems which caused me all those failures but I’m determined to make amends.
Now, he is set to take on the toughest opponent of his career in what is likely his last chance to push toward his goal of fighting for a strap.
“I’m very excited for this opportunity because it is a fight that can bring me back into world title contention,” Lawson told BoxingAfrica.com.
“This is going to be a good fight because both of us have been inactive for a while.”
For this fight, Lawson enlisted the help of respected Ghanaian trainer Daniel Oko Odamtten, training at Odamtten’s Camp Get Right Boxing Gym in Worcester, Massachusetts. Odamtten is famed for his role in making the legendary Ike ‘Bazooka’ Quartey one of Africa’s greatest boxers.
“We have been in camp for three and half months and that makes us ready for this fight. Oko has been there for me and making sure I’m always in the gym to train throughout this camp,” said Lawson.
“He is an experienced trainer and I believe the months of training that we have had for Ortiz would pay off on Saturday.”
Odamtten is cautiously optimistic.
“He has done everything at training and we are only left to deliver in the ring come January 6,” Odamtten told BoxingAfrica.com.
“It is not going to be easy because of the weight differences but these are some of the decisions that a boxer needs to make to reach higher heights.”
Meanwhile, Lawson’s friend and former teammate at Ghana’s amateur boxing team, Jessie Manyo Plange, expects fireworks on Saturday.
“I had the chance to run with him before he started his training camp and I can say that he is in good shape,” said Plange.
“It is not going to be an easy task but with the right strategy, I’m hopeful Lawson will make Ghana proud.”
Ortiz, on the other hand, hasn’t fought since knocking out Michael McKinson on August 6, 2022 in Fort Worth, Texas. Prior to the Lawson fight, Ortiz’s proposed mandatory bout with WBA welterweight titlist Eimantas Stanionis in April last year was canceled due to illness despite his promoters Golden Boy winning a purse bid to stage the bout in Arlington.
It was then agreed by his handlers that he would no longer campaign at welterweight, a decision which brought about his upcoming fight with Lawson.
Trainer Odamtten says the plan is to move back down after defeating Ortiz.
“I think that is the best thing for him to do and I can tell you that he would be moving back to welterweight after this fight,” said Odamtten.
But first Lawson must get past Ortiz, a fighter many consider among the rising stars of the sport.
“I have impressed Golden Boy Promotions on a number of occasions so they know my capabilities before offering me this opportunity,” Lawson said.
“I know it is a risk I’m taking to fight at super welterweight but I’m not under any pressure. Ortiz is a great fighter but we have a plan and we will unleash it on Saturday.”
