WORCESTER, Mass. - It's been almost two decades since Worcester has had a world champion boxer, but that could change Thursday as Jamaine Ortiz steps into the ring to fight for the WBO Junior Welterweight Championship against Teofimo Lopez.

The city held a special send off for Ortiz last month ahead of his fight in Las Vegas.

The 27-year-old has an impressive record in the ring, and three-time world champion Jose Antonio Rivera said if there is anyone who is ready to be world champion, it's Jamaine Ortiz.

"Every time I speak to the kids or speak to the boxers, stuff like that, they say, ‘I want to be like you,’” Rivera said. “I say, ‘nah nah nah, I want you to want to be better than me.’ He has that mindset that not only does he want to be world champion for Worcester, but he wants to be a multiple world champion like myself and go even further. I think he has the potential to do that."

Ortiz would be the first Worcester native to become world champion. While Rivera won three titles, he didn't move to the city until he was 16 years old.