Jaron “Boots” Ennis vs. Vergil Ortiz - 2026?

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TURKI ALALSHIKH EYES JARON ENNIS VS. VERGIL ORTIZ AS PART OF RIYADH SUPER CARD IN NOVEMBER

If His Excellency Turki Alalshikh is to have his way, Jaron “Boots” Ennis won't be easing into his run at junior middleweight.

During a roundtable interview with The Ring’s Mike Coppinger, Rick Reeno and Ish Hinson, Alalshikh said he hopes to make Ennis vs interim WBC junior middleweight champion Vergil Ortiz next as part of a huge card in November in Saudi Arabia. Ennis, The Ring, IBF and WBA welterweight champion, announced that he’ll be moving up from 147 to 154 pounds in his next fight.

“I hope to have Ortiz against Boots,” Alalshikh said.

Alalshikh also said he hopes to match rising undefeated super middleweight contenders, Christian Mbilli and Lester Martinez, one of boxing’s best prospects, Moses Itauma, against Martin Bakole (21-1, 16 KOs), plus 2020 Olympic gold medalist Andy Cruz (6-0, 3 KOs) and William Zepeda on the same card. There’s no shortage of moving parts before that card can come to fruition, though.

Mbilli (28-0, 23 KOs) faces former middleweight title challenger Maciej Sulecki (33-3-1, 13 KOs) for the interim WBC super middleweight title on Friday, while Martinez (19-0, 16 KOs) is set to face Pierre Hubert Dibombe (22-2-1, 12 KOs) on July 12.

Itauma (12-0, 10 KOs) is returning on Aug. 16 against former heavyweight title contender Dillian Whyte (31-3, 21 KOs) in Saudi Arabia. Zepeda (33-0, 27 KOs) has his hands full on July 12 when he faces WBC lightweight champion Shakur Stevenson (23-0, 11 KOs) in Queens, New York on The Ring’s “Ring III” pay-per-view show at Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York, on DAZN.

Ennis (34-0, 30 KOs) is coming off a dominant sixth-round stoppage of Eimantas Stanionis on April 12 to become a unified welterweight champion. Ortiz (23-0, 21 KOs) also landed one of the most impressive wins of his career the last time he stepped into the ring, defeating former WBA junior middleweight champion Israil Madrimov by unanimous decision on Feb. 22.

Ennis vs Ortiz has long been one of the best fights that can be made in boxing. Now, with both fighters in the same weight class for a second time, they find themselves on a collision course again. And in a loaded 154-pound division, the winner of Ennis vs Ortiz will be well-positioned to cement themselves atop junior middleweight for the foreseeable future.

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[tiny_acres]

I hope this actually happens
This will be a fun fight

[golden_labrador]

I haven't seen much of Boots and I'm a big Ortiz fan but I can't decide how to vote at all. Ortiz needs to put in a big performance here to win fo sho

[Ruthless-RKO]

Boots has vacated his IBF welterweight title.

[gregregegg]

This is truely a top top top toppppp fight. I hope it makes the fight inner a worthy name for Crawford (win or lose).

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[gilgamesh]

I really don't get why they don't just announce a fight, and get it in the ring within 60 days at the most. These guys should never be so out of shape that they can't whip themselves into ring shape in 2 months time.

They actually give these promotions so long they give people time to get excited about it, talk about it, and then gradually get less excited about it because you're getting tired of waiting for it.

[Ruthless-RKO]

EDDIE HEARN: DAZN EXECS EXPECT JARON ENNIS-VERGIL ORTIZ TO HAPPEN IN FEBRUARY

Eddie Hearn read what the father and manager of Vergil Ortiz said about boxing Jaron Ennis next if the unbeaten junior middleweights win their fights scheduled four weeks apart in October and November.

Vergil Ortiz Sr. and Rick Mirigian hammered Hearn for implying the two sides have finalized a deal for a fight with Ennis early next year.

Mirigian, the manager, contended on social media that Ortiz’s team hasn’t been presented with a contract to fight Ennis and they won't partake in a “circus” regarding negotiations for one of boxing's most marketable bouts.

Hearn is nonetheless confident Philadelphia’s Ennis (34-0, 30 KOs, 1 NC) and Ortiz (23-0, 21 KOs), of Grand Prairie, Texas, are closer than ever.

“We targeted February,” Hearn told The Ring. “We targeted Las Vegas. And that’s what we expect and hope to happen. I know that’s what DAZN are expecting to happen.”

DAZN’s influence is important in the Ortiz-Ennis equation because the streaming service figures to finance one of the most intriguing fights it could make available to its subscribers.

DAZN is fully funding their interim matches as well — Ennis vs. Uisma Lima (14-1, 10 KOs) on October 11 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia and Ortiz against Erickson Lubin (27-2, 19 KOs) on November 8 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

Fans have harshly criticized Ennis for fighting Angola’s Lima, though the former Ring/IBF/WBA welterweight champ repeatedly stated wanting one 154-pound bout before he faces Ortiz, whose past four fights have been contested at or slightly above the junior middleweight limit.

Hearn acknowledged that he doesn’t know whether Ortiz and Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions have reached an agreement on their contract to face Ennis. The Matchroom Boxing chairman is certain however, that they had the framework for a deal when they left the meeting.

“There’s a lot of reporting about the Ortiz fight,” Hearn said. “This is the situation with the Ortiz fight —
myself, Oscar, Golden Boy, DAZN, we sat in a room and we hashed out the framework of a deal that we believe could work between us.

"A very straightforward deal for, what I believe, is one of the best fights in boxing. We went away, and Boots signed the terms [for his multiyear Matchroom extension] on the basis of that framework. In his new extension with us, his next fight is supposed to be the Ortiz fight. And he is done, signed and committed for that fight.

“I came out and I said that, and some people reported that the Boots fight [with Ortiz] is signed. It’s not, because I don’t know where Golden Boy and Vergil Ortiz are up to. Now, when you speak to Rick Mirigian, he says, ‘Well, we have no contract.’

“The plan in that room was always Boots is fighting October the 11th, Vergil Ortiz is fighting October the 18th, and then they fight each other. Done. And that’s what we’re expecting and hoping to happen. And, for me, that is one of the best fights in the sport.”

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EDDIE HEARN ARGUES UISMA LIMA’S ANONYMITY IS AT ISSUE — NOT TALENT — FOR JARON ENNIS

Eddie Hearn has to compliment Uisma Lima to help sell tickets and convince critics that Jaron Ennis’ largely unknown opponent isn’t in over his head.

Every boxing promoter pumps up the “B” side to varying degrees. Hearn, however, seemingly believes that the Angolan contender earned his shot to face hometown favorite Ennis on October 11 at Philadelphia's Wells Fargo Center on DAZN.

Matchroom Boxing’s chairman can’t help but feel fans’ vitriolic reaction to the matchup is based almost entirely on their unfamiliarity with Lima (14-1, 10 KOs).

“In the UK and in Europe, the Boots fight has gone down really well because people know Lima,” Hearn told The Ring. “He’s a [expletive] tough handful. … But in America, it’s like, 'Who’s Lima?’”

Oddsmakers obviously disagree. They’ve consistently established Ennis (34-0, 30 KOs, 1 NC) as at least a 20-1 favorite to win in his junior middleweight debut.

Lima lost a 10-round unanimous decision to Ireland’s Aaron McKenna (20-0, 10 KOs) in June 2023 in London. He took that fight on very short notice, though, and has won four straight fights since then, the last three against unbeaten opponents on their home soil.

“This guy has one defeat and he took that fight on four days’ notice,” Hearn said. “He keeps going into everyone’s backyards and keeps beating them. He has no fear. He’s a big, strong 154-pounder that can punch. He’s young, and most of all he’s dying for this opportunity. And you’ve got these other guys that are basically looking for a payday, that’s it.”


Ennis, 28, and Lima, 32, will meet in a 12-round WBA elimination match to determine its mandatory challenger for a title Terence Crawford still holds. It is unlikely the winner would actually get a shot at Crawford, who has moved up to the super middleweight maximum of 168 pounds to challenge Canelo Alvarez for his Ring, IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO belts September 13 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

If his fighter wins, Hearn expects Ennis to face Vergil Ortiz early next year in one of the bouts boxing fans most want to watch. Ennis has been bombarded with criticism for fighting Lima before he opposes Ortiz (23-0, 21 KOs), who also must beat Erickson Lubin (27-2, 19 KOs) on November 8 at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

Hearn reminded Ennis’ detractors that the former Ring/IBF/WBA welterweight champ’s plan was always to get acclimated to his new division in one bout before he agreed to face Ortiz or another top 154-pounder.

“We had long conversations with Boots,” Hearn recalled, “who basically said, ‘Look, I’m going up to ’54 to fight everybody – Ortiz, [Bakhram] Murtazaliev, [Sebastian] Fundora, whoever. But I want to have a fight first and I want to get my body [adjusted] at the weight, and I want a competitive, top-10 guy.’ Then the WBA allowed this fight as a final eliminator. Lima’s top 10 I think with three governing bodies, he’s IBO world champion, he’s 11 on BoxRec or whatever it is.

“This is a really, really good, solid fight. Now, I know that fans, they just want the Ortiz fight straight away. But I don’t think there’s anything unreasonable about a guy moving up a division and saying, 'I’m just gonna have one fight to get it right.’ Because when you go in against Ortiz and [Xander] Zayas and Fundora and Murtazaliev, you’ve got to be a 100 percent ready. And he will beat them all.”

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Jaron Ennis vs Vergil Ortiz in queue for early 2026

Jaron Ennis has a big fight with Vergil Ortiz on the horizon.

Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis will have to take care of his business this weekend when he takes on Usima Lima in his official 154 lb debut, but if he comes through as expected his next big fight appears to be the ones fans have been waiting for — against Vergil Ortiz.

Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn tells ESPN that the sides have already negotiated the parameters of agreement for a Boots vs Ortiz fight to take place in the first quarter of 2026, and that Golden Boy just want to see Ortiz get through his upcoming fight with Erickson Lubin before formally setting the fight.

“We want the biggest fights after Saturday, and for me the one that makes the most sense and the one that has been negotiated is Vergil Ortiz,” Hearn told ESPN. “We sat in a room with Golden Boy and DAZN, we worked out the deal structure, and in his deal extension with us Boots signed for that fight with Ortiz.”

With Hearn believing Boots to be the next big thing in the sport as far as pound-for-pound talent is concerned, he would like to see him in title fights and he says that could come against Xander Zayas, Sebastian Fundora, Bakhram Murtazaliev, or really anyone holding a strap at the weight.

Before Boots can realize any of those aspirations, however, he’ll need to make sure he’s focused and doesn’t slip up against Lima, who will have confidence given the fact he’s just beaten three undefeated fighters in a row — albeit none of them on the level of Boots.

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[MPW]

The interesting part is that neither Ennis nor Ortiz have gimme fights coming up, but the power brokers are already matching them for early next year. Lima is kind of an unknown wild card, while Lubin is definitely no pushover.

Still, I would be surprised if either Ennis or Ortiz lost, especially if the fights go to the cards, but I don't think it's the best strategy to be planning the next bout before you've fought the one in front of you. Case in point, Plant versus Resendiz.

[goose 5]

Let's hope it really happens in February.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Probably won’t even be Feb. Although it’s plenty of time. As long as Ortiz comes out his next fight ok.

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Jaron Ennis-Vergil Ortiz in early 2026? If everyone sticks to their word, says Hearn

Now that Jaron Ennis has torn through Uisma Lima, Eddie Hearn must wait for Vergil Ortiz and Golden Boy Promotions to handle their business.

Ennis’ promoter is cautiously optimistic that Oscar De La Hoya and Eric Gomez will deliver what they promised during a meeting over the summer in New York. Gomez, Golden Boy’s president, again assured Hearn last week that if the favored Ortiz beats Erickson Lubin on November 8, he'll do his best to make sure the fight happens in early 2026.

DraftKings lists Ortiz (23-0, 21 KOs) as a 6-1 favorite over Lubin (27-2, 19 KOs), yet the latter is generally regarded as a much greater threat than Lima was to Ennis, who was a 30-1 favorite. Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) dropped Angola’s Lima (14-2, 10 KOs) twice in the first round and beat him by technical knockout just 1:58 into the WBA interim super welterweight title bout Saturday night at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.

“I’ve said it 10 times, a hundred times,” Hearn said during Ennis’ post-fight press conference in his hometown. “We sat in a room with Oscar De La Hoya and Eric Gomez, DAZN, their top executives, and we negotiated a deal to fight Vergil Ortiz. We all agreed, let’s do it.

"We said, ‘They’re both gonna fight [other opponents]. Then January, February, March, whatever it’s gonna be. … They said, 'Let’s do it in Dallas.' I said, 'Let’s do it in Philly.' And we all agreed, 'Let’s do it in Las Vegas.' We went away on those terms that we agreed [upon]. We presented them to Jaron 'Boots' Ennis — he signed the contract. We’ve never heard back from them.

“This week Eric Gomez called me and he said, 'Let’s get Lubin out of the way, and we will do our bit to try and make the fight.’ So, we give them the benefit of the doubt. I know Oscar wants to make great fights. But we are desperate for that fight because we’re desperate to give American boxing super fights [between] two pound-for-pound guys, in their prime. Not two guys that are in their late-30s, not two guys that are coming to the end of their career. Two guys in their absolute prime. So, if everybody’s true to their word, you will see Boots against Ortiz in early 2026.”

The left-handed Lubin, of Orlando, Florida, will oppose Ortiz, of Grand Prairie, Texas, in a 12-round main event DAZN will stream from Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. They’ll fight for Ortiz’s WBC interim super welterweight title.

Ortiz, 27, is ranked No. 1 in The Ring’s junior middleweight top 10. Ennis, 28, figures to enter toward the top of that list now that he has made an impressive debut in the 154-pound division.

Lubin, 30, is The Ring’s fifth-rated contender for a junior middleweight title that is vacant.

[Sweet Dick Willie]

Am I the only one who considers Boots way overrated?

[smiling assassin]

Am I the only one who considers Boots way overrated?

In the way everyone goes on about him or you think he’s overrated based on skill set?

[Sweet Dick Willie]

Am I the only one who considers Boots way overrated?

In the way everyone goes on about him or you think he’s overrated based on skill set?

Based on his skill set. I mean he is strong. But thats it...

[Ruthless-RKO]

Am I the only one who considers Boots way overrated?

If you listen to Hearn, then he overrates everyone. you just think 'shut up!'

[MPW]

Am I the only one who considers Boots way overrated?

In the way everyone goes on about him or you think he’s overrated based on skill set?

Based on his skill set. I mean he is strong. But thats it...

I kinda lean towards overrated. I don't think he's proven himself against elite competition, but then again he's beat everyone he's been in the ring with. I have to admit, I expected more from Lima, who obviously wasn't ready for the big stage and maybe never will be.

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