{"id":400424,"date":"2026-01-10T11:50:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-10T11:50:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/400424\/"},"modified":"2026-01-10T11:50:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-10T11:50:08","slug":"sooner-or-later-we-have-to-make-another-move","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/400424\/","title":{"rendered":"Sooner Or Later We Have To Make Another Move"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s been two months since Vergil Ortiz Jr.<\/a> and Jaron Ennis<\/a> lit a match to their much-anticipated showdown by facing off in the middle of a ring and agreeing that they need to fight next.<\/p>\n

After a prolonged negotiation period, however, Ortiz-Ennis could be up in flames.<\/p>\n

Matchroom Boxing head Eddie Hearn faced the media Thursday in New York for the first time in nearly two weeks to provide updates on the junior middleweight matchup that seems to have a lack of momentum toward getting a deal done.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, is the answer [to having updates for the fight],\u201d Hearn said. \u201cWe are kind of waiting in hope. We keep being told that things are progressing, but then we don\u2019t really get anywhere. We will have to make a move soon. Boots is due to fight at the end of March. Could that go to April? Maybe. But we don’t want it to. We have to make our own moves. With all due respect to Vergil Ortiz, he doesn\u2019t do anything other than people saying he might be the best 154-pounder in the world. And that\u2019s the same for Jaron as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why the fight makes so much sense, because it\u2019s the best facing the best. It\u2019s not like Ortiz is the champion and we have to sing to his tune. We’re being as courteous as we can, but sooner or later, we are going to have to make another move. It will be a very sad day for boxing if Vergil Ortiz doesn\u2019t take that fight, because everyone knows that\u2019s the best fight that can be made in American boxing right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ortiz (24-0, 22 KOs), of Grand Prairie, Texas, last fought November 8, when he knocked out Erickson Lubin (27-3, 19 KOs) in the second round<\/a>.
Philadelphia\u2019s Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs, 1 NC), the former Ring, IBF and WBA welterweight champion, last fought October 11. He scored a first-round knockout during his 154-pound debut against Uisma Lima (14-2, 10 KOs)<\/a>.
Ortiz is rated No. 1 by The Ring at 154 pounds; Ennis is ranked No. 6<\/a>.
Hearn said that Ennis could eventually move on to face Josh Kelly if the Brit beats IBF champion Bakhram Murtazaliev on January 31 in Newcastle, England<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cJosh Kelly can win that fight,\u201d Hearn said, \u201cand if he wins that fight, we already have an agreement in place for him to fight Boots Ennis.\u201d<\/p>\n

Manouk Akopyan is The Ring\u2019s lead writer. Follow him on X and Instagram: @ManoukAkopyan.<\/p>\n

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