Just when boxing fans were savoring the opportunity to enjoy the talent of Vergil Ortiz Jr., bad news arrived: the American prospect will not be able to fight on March 19 against Michael McKinson due to a dangerous health issue.
So far, at the age of 23 years old, Vergil Ortiz Jr.’s career has been brilliant. He has a record that speaks of pure perfection: 18 fights held, all of them won by knockout. More than a few people think that the Dallas native will soon have a shot at one of the 147-pound World titles.
The March 19 fight at the USC Galen Center in Los Angeles California was set to be explosive, as Ortiz Jr. was set to collide with Michael McKinson. Nicknamed The Problem, the British fighter is making his U.S. debut with a 21-0-0 record and is waiting to meet the fighter he will face.
What is Vergil Ortiz Jr.’s medical condition?
Golden Boy Promotions, headed by Oscar de la Hoya, announced that Vergil Ortiz Jr. would not be able to fight on March 19 because he suffers from Rhabdomyolysis, a metabolic syndrome that completely prevents him from being physically active.
“I was doing very good in sparring and training in general. But for the last 2 weeks, I didn’t feel like myself. I just felt like my body was deteriorating and I didn’t know why and it was frustrating. Being the fighter that I am I tried toughing it out, but when it’s your own body fighting against you there’s little you can do. Luckily my dad was also able to tell I wasn’t right and took me to the Doctor. We ran some tests and the doctor concluded that I had Rhabdomyolysis.” posted Vergil on his Twitter account.
The medical condition suffered by the brilliant American prospect is so delicate that rest was not enough to stop it: “I was hospitalized and had to stay overnight. It could’ve been a lot worse and I’m thankful that we caught it on time. I am very sorry if I let you guys down believe me if there was a hair of a chance of me fighting, I would be.”.
Vergil Ortiz Jr training with Robert Garcia. (Getty Images)
What is rhabdomyolysis and what symptoms does it produce?
The rhabdomyolysis occurs when some skeletal muscle tissue ruptures due to overload and its protein content, mainly myoglobin, spills into the bloodstream. Myoglobin can cause damage to the kidneys as they are unable to drain it.
This medical condition occurs for traumatic or non-traumatic or indirect reasons. The former include falls or contusions, such as a car crash, long periods of muscle compression due to immobilization, burns or high-intensity electric shocks, and bites from poisonous insects or snakes.
Non-traumatic causes of rhabdomyolysis, which an athlete such as Vergil Ortiz Jr. may suffer, include high muscle overload from overtraining and an excessive increase in body temperature or have contracted various bacterial infections that can intoxicate the muscle tissues.
The symptoms of rhabdomyolysis, which are perfectly consistent with those expressed by Vergil Ortiz Jr., are a pain in joints such as the shoulder, hip, or lower back, excessive muscle weakness and fatigue, and the presence of dark-colored urine.
Vergil Ortiz, in a medical check before one of his fights. (Sye Williams/Golden Boy/Getty Images)
“He was dropping weight too fast for me. That’s when I knew something was wrong.I just know my son so well, he can’t go from 100 miles per hour one day to zero the next”, said Vergil Ortiz Sr. to ESPN’s reporter Mike Coppinger.
The consequences of rhabdomyolysis can be fatal if not treated immediately, as there may be irreversible damage to the kidneys and liver and even cause heart damage with the risk of suffering cardiovascular accidents.
