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

[Ruthless-RKO]

'Meat and potatoes' of Vergil Ortiz Jnr-Jaron Ennis deal are incoming

The “meat and potatoes” of a deal to bring Vergil Ortiz Jnr and Jaron “Boots” Ennis together will happen in the next fortnight, according to Rick Mirigian, Ortiz’s manager.

The bout would pit two of the most celebrated fighters of the modern era against each other in a junior middleweight bout, seeing both collide in their primes. BS reported that an Ortiz-Ennis bout could be finalized by the end of the week.

Ortiz is coming off a knockout win last month against Erickson Lubin in two rounds. Ortiz, 24-0 (22 KOs), and his team were in attendance this past Saturday for the ProBox TV card in Fresno, California, as they gave an update on the fight.

“We are trying to make the fight happen,” Mirigian told Boxing Scene. “That is an honest statement…it is a priority to get the Boots fight done.

“I imagine most of the meat and potatoes of the deal will happen over the next 14 days.”

Ortiz, a 27-year-old from Grand Prairie, Texas, shared his thoughts about whether Ennis, 35-0 (31 KOs), could be his next foe.

“It is more than possible. I am optimistic that it will happen,” Ortiz told BS. “My job is to fight.[Mirigian’s] job is to make the fight happen.”

Robert Garcia, who serves as one of Ortiz’s trainers along with Ortiz’s father, Vergil Ortiz Snr, shared his thoughts.

“At 154lbs, there are a lot of big fights for him,” Garcia said. “Boots is the one we would prefer, and that would be our first choice.”

“It needs to be next. If it is not next, it should be within one or two fights from now. That fight needs to happen, and it will happen.”

Ennis, a 28-year-old from Philadelphia, is a former IBF welterweight titleholder who recently made his debut in the junior middleweight division with a first-round destruction of Uisma Lima. What makes the bout so unique is that despite it being perceived between the best fighters in the division, neither is a current titleholder.

“It takes two guys that are special to make a super fight,” Mirigian said. “So, the goal is, at least on my side, to make sure they are fairly compensated.”

After Ortiz stopped Lubin last month, Ennis entered the ring for a face-off.

“I am not too dramatic about it, I saw it as this is the guy everyone wants me to fight,” Ortiz said. “I mellow things out a lot. That is how I keep my mind straight when crazy things happen in the ring, I just see it as another Saturday.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Vergil Ortiz-‘Boots’ Ennis talks launch in six-hour session

Formal talks to stage an appetizing junior-middleweight bout pitting the unbeaten, in-their-prime contenders Vergil Ortiz Jnr of Texas and Philadelphia’s Jaron “Boots” Ennis kicked off on Tuesday as the sides committed to renew acquaintances in short order.

According to two officials with familiarity of the session, it lasted six hours, with each side presenting their “positions and needs” while “talking through some steps to accelerate this… over the next 10 days”.

Finalizing a bout between the WBC interim 154lbs champion Ortiz, 24-0 (22 KOs), and recent unified welterweight champion Ennis, 35-0 (31KOs), for a proposed date in March would be a tremendous Christmas present to fight fans.

The 27-year-old Ortiz is coming off a second-round knockout of veteran former title challenger Erickson Lubin in Texas – a bout Ennis, 28, watched from ringside after posting a first-round knockout of Uisma Lima a month earlier in Philadelphia. Ennis attended Ortiz’s victory, pointing to his watch that, “it’s time” to make the fight.

Ortiz’s promoter Oscar De La Hoya maintained in comments immediately after Ortiz’s victory that his fighter deserves the larger cut, and one official on Tuesday reported the talks repeated that notion, since Ortiz has fought stiffer competition in succession – Lubin, former WBA 154lbs champion Israil Madrimov, and former WBC interim champion Serhii Bohachuk.

Golden Boy Promotions president Eric Gomez, who represents Ortiz, said at the recent WBC Convention in Bangkok, Thailand that he believed an imminent deal was possible, with Ortiz ultimately seeking his first world title against WBC champion Sebastian Fundora later in 2026.

The teams of Ortiz and Ennis presented options to bring the talks closer to reality, and one individual told BS there were times negotiations “got heated”, but said that that’s expected, considering where they are.

“If it was bad and had no chance, I would tell you,” the individual said. “Deals like this do not get done in a day.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Manager can’t understand why Vergil Ortiz-Jaron Ennis is the ‘gift’ nobody wants to receive

Vergil Ortiz Jnr’s manager Rick Mirigian has given an update on what is currently holding up a potential clash with Jaron “Boots” Ennis.

The pair were mentioned as potential opponents even before Ennis’ move up to junior middleweight, but after the former welterweight champion made the jump up to 154lbs, it seemed the fight to make in the division. Ennis impressed with a first-round finish of Uisma Lima in October in his first bout at 154lbs with both Ennis and his promoter Eddie Hearn talking up a fight with Ortiz. Then in November it was Ortiz’s chance to respond to Ennis’ showing, and he did so with a second-round dismantling of Erickson Lubin. Ennis was in attendance for the bout in Fort Worth, Texas, and after the pair squared off in the ring following Ortiz’s win, it seemed inevitable that the pair would lock horns in 2026.

However, there appears to be problems at the negotiating table which is causing a hold up. There were rumours that Ortiz could face former unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jnr in an all-Texas clash, instead of one with Ennis. Dan Rafael reported, “Per source, DAZN, which has dibs on Ortiz fights, will not allow [Spence] fight to happen. DAZN are exerting intense pressure on Golden Boy [Ortiz’s promoter] to get the Ennis fight done.”

Mirigian spoke to Boxing Scene to clear up what is holding up the Ortiz-Ennis negotiations at present.

“Based on public comments by Network executives at DAZN, meeting with our promoter and the tone of it, I think the network is attempting to impose and force both the fighter and promoter to do what they say and that's it,” Mirigian said. “While I think it's foolish to do that and do it in public for a litany of reasons, that's it. It's ok, it's just business, and they have the right to attempt that, as we have the right to do many things contractually also.

“Ortiz has a proper minimum, gets multiple opponents to be offered each fight and we can legally fight where the best opportunity comes from, period, as it should be. Respect and loyalty run both ways, show them and receive them. Saying things publicly like that makes it hard to explain to a fighter who will fight and has fought anyone.”

It seems as though the money placed on the table for Ortiz-Ennis is not what Mirigian was expecting for a fight between the two best fighters in the division. In recent times Saudi financier Turki Alalshikh has been involved in funding these so-called mega fights, but neither Riyadh Season or The Ring have been interested in the bout between Ortiz and Ennis.

“I’m not sure [why] and I'm sure it's complicated,” Mirigian said. “We are grateful to [Turki Alalshikh] for prior opportunities and should they not have interest here, for whatever reason, we look forward to working with them in the future. I can only guess and or speculate as to why, so I won't. I like dealing in facts.”

So is a fight between Ortiz and Ennis reliant on Saudi investment in order to happen?

“No, not at all. My offer back was an easy one, and to sum it up, DAZN can make this fight for about the cost of one single guy that has just fought on their network this past month, and will fight coming up over the next 120 days on their network, and six more set to fight in Jan-April, again for just about literally the cost of a single guy coming up on the cards I mentioned. The entire fight can be made and the network/promoter retains all the upside as well, should it do what they say as they called it with Ring, ‘The biggest fight in the sport to make.’

“I would have thought it could have been done in two minutes after that. They would be getting the deal of deals at that and give the sport, fans, and subscribers what they want. They would be retaining the upside should it do what they think as well. How do you logically argue or beat this? I made this very doable for them. Then they can save the expectations and talk as my guys all know that certain fights will come up and be far more than others. Then they will have to go down some until a super fight or large fight appears again with the public appetite to warrant it. So we are very realistic procedurally.”

Mirigian does not believe that the fee he is asking for is out of the realms of probability for a fight of the calibre of Ortiz-Ennis, and claims that DAZN are paying much more for fights already scheduled for 2026.

“It's literally half the cost of the fights that just took place and the ones set to take place in Jan, Feb, March and April that I know of 100 per cent on the same network,” he said. “With about $12million to $15million a month in subscriptions, the PPV element, and most important the move to charge $480 a year now. This is the kind of fight they must deliver, the fans must get, and we are not playing hard ball, as you can see. We came in to make an easy simple deal.

“Combine all this with the prior info, upside for them, etcetera, and you would think this is a gift from us. We do appreciate them and the support for Ortiz prior, but Ortiz took the fights his opponent would not, multiple times. He is a clean fighter, never failed a drug test, never embarrassed the network, and in an age of track-meet fights that no one wants to see, Ortiz delivers action-packed intelligent fights. He is also positioning himself to be the face of boxing and bring a Canelo-like future to the sport. This is a fighter you take care of; a generational talent.

“So while you dump money into guys that don't have [Ortiz’s] potential or ability to fight and entertain while doing it,” he continued, “you have to think twice why they want to risk a relationship with him and treat him half as good while he is clearly better than the rest, as well as carrying the most important part – the ability to be the face of the sport and anchor to the network. Very strange. But this is boxing and we see things like this fumbled and poorly handled all the time.

“In boxing the only thing you can truly do to show a fighter what his value is to you and what you think of him is to simply write a check. Everything else is smoke and mirrors and fluff to make you or the team feel important. I can say Golden Boy and Oscar [De LaHoya] and Eric [Gomez] have truly showed they cared about Ortiz over the years and I mean that as I would not say it. Right now our promoter has some fighting to do for us all and I'm optimistic they will get there. But the real fight takes place outside the ring well before they walk in it.”

[catalin714]

Ortiz and his people lost they re pen.

[Evander]

They're being tight lipped
I don't know, this is a guess
They're arguing money, split, whatever it is
I reckon it lands in Las Vegas last two weeks in March

[Evander]

Word on the street says there's two dates booked for Las Vegas
March 21 and March 28

Who is going to get those dates

[Ruthless-RKO]

Vergil Ortiz Jnr wants the titles, not the fame

Vergil Ortiz Jnr wants the titles, not the fame that comes with boxing.

Ortiz is rumored to have taken an appealing fight with junior middleweight Jaron “Boots” Ennis. Nothing is finalized.

Ortiz, 24-0 (22 KOs), of Grand Prairie, Texas, has risen through the ranks and is the WBC interim junior-middleweight titleholder after winning it against Serhii Bohachuk and defending it against Israil Madrimov and then Erickson Lubin.

“The goal isn’t to be a superstar, the goal is to fight the very best, and to prove to myself that I am the best,” Ortiz told BS. “I don’t care about being a superstar or about having one billion followers on Instagram.

“For me, it is personal. I want to have these belts on my wall, wake up every day, and see them on my wall.

“It is the physical embodiment of all the hard work I have done my entire life, that belt. It isn’t just a physical object. It is all the blood, sweat, and tears that have come out of my body, all the injuries, all the hard work, and grit over the years.”

In Ortiz’s past fight, he knocked out Lubin in the second round. He trapped Lubin, a southpaw, on the ropes and rendered him unconscious while still standing. Ortiz had heard the pre-fight talk of how Lubin could trouble him, especially given his success in USA Boxing as an amateur, and that motivated him.

“It is not easy at all, especially with some of the caliber of Erickson Lubin,” Ortiz, 27, said. “I was in camp for four months, and I was working hard on my craft. It is really not easy.”

Ortiz was then asked whether the Ennis fight could be next. Alternative options include Errol Spence Jnr or the WBC belt holder Sebastian Fundora.

“It is more than possible,” he said. “I am optimistic that it will happen.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

DAZN's insistence for Vergil Ortiz-Jaron Ennis a needed sea change for boxing

One of boxing’s longtime sicknesses has been the inability of the connected broadcaster to stomach a forceful push for the fights that are begging to be made.

So it’s worth watching how the ongoing negotiations to make the appetizing junior-middleweight bout between unbeatens Vergil Ortiz Jnr and Jaron “Boots” Ennis play out.

Last month, Ortiz manager Rick Mirigian told Boxing Scene that streamer DAZN is effectively insistent that Ortiz promoter Oscar De La Hoya and Ennis promoter Eddie Hearn strike a deal to get Ortiz-Ennis done, with the likely date pegged for the early spring in Las Vegas.

Make no mistake about this: If the bout gets made in the coming weeks, this could represent a needed sea change in a sport where broadcasters have far too often been too lenient with their promoter partners, allowing watered-down, stay busy type affairs to be substituted by the actual fights that are ripe to be made.

OK, there may be no full title on the line between WBC interim 154lbs beltholder Ortiz, 24-0 (22 KOs), of Texas and Philadelphia’s former unified welterweight champion Ennis, 35-0 (31 KOs), but we all know from what we saw in November, that the pair are on an undeniable collision course.

First, Ennis, 28, posted a first-round knockout of outmatched Uisma Lima in Philadelphia.

Then, with Ennis seated ringside in Texas, 27-year-old Ortiz knocked out former 154lbs title challenger Erickson Lubin in the second round.

Ennis entered the ring afterward after pronouncing it’s time for the showdown, and Ortiz expressed mutual interest in the bout.

In the minutes after, backstage at the post-fight news conference, there was sentiment and posturing over a possible alternative bout pitting Ortiz versus former three-belt welterweight champion Errol Spence Jnr and regarding Ortiz’s value in the purse split.

Valid points? Of course. A showdown with Texas’ Spence would draw well enough in the state, but Spence hasn’t fought since getting dismantled by Terence Crawford in their summer 2023 bout in Las Vegas, and that bout is nowhere near as big as Ortiz-Ennis.

In former – and recent times – perhaps Spence emerges as the opponent for Ortiz.

But now, considering how this type of “buildup” matchmaking contributed to the downfall of boxing coverage by HBO, Showtime and ESPN, this can no longer be the permitted strategy by major broadcasters who are competing for viewership of mainstream sports fans and who’ve watched major bouts get made by snap of a finger (and the tapping of oil riches) from those in Saudi Arabia.

Hearn, who helped launched DAZN with his Matchroom promotion, has indicated Ennis is committed to the Ortiz fight.

Ortiz has commented recently that he expects the bout to become reality.

And in a year that’s starting with glamour bouts including a 140lbs title defense by Teofimo Lopez versus unbeaten three-division champion Shakur Stevenson and talks for a Cinco de Mayo showdown between light-heavyweight titlist David Benavidez and cruiserweight beltholder Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez, this would qualify as the most important boxing development of the year.

Give the fans the fights they want most, and watch what happens.

The sport has lost enough by not doing so.

What’s left to lose by adjusting to those losses?

[Ruthless-RKO]

[gilgamesh]

Here we f*cking go! Now we got something to look forward to in this year

[MPW]

Am I the only one tired of all the endless posturing?

I do understand the desire to get the most lucrative deal for your fighter and generate the proper build up for a fight of this magnitude. I'm also reluctant to blame either side for all the BS, but, as a fan, I just want the nonsense put aside and the bout put on the calendar. Ennis-Ortiz Jr. has the potential to be one of the best fights of the year, not just at SWW.

In the States we have a saying: either p*ss or get off the pot. I don't think we've reached that point yet but ...

[Sendo Takeshi]

What a surprise. If they don't ring the belt for round 3, I'm never gonna believe it.
That's a boxing issue in general.

On top of that, Boots is Tank 2.0. Just 1 1/2 years left until he is the next big 30 year old prospect.

[Ruthless-RKO]

HEARN ON ENNIS-ORTIZ TALKS: SOONER OR LATER WE HAVE TO MAKE ANOTHER MOVE

It’s been two months since Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Jaron Ennis 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.

After a prolonged negotiation period, however, Ortiz-Ennis could be up in flames.

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.

“No, is the answer [to having updates for the fight],” Hearn said. “We are kind of waiting in hope. We keep being told that things are progressing, but then we don’t 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’t do anything other than people saying he might be the best 154-pounder in the world. And that’s the same for Jaron as well.

“That’s why the fight makes so much sense, because it’s the best facing the best. It’s 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’t take that fight, because everyone knows that’s the best fight that can be made in American boxing right now.”

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.

Philadelphia’s 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).

Ortiz is rated No. 1 by The Ring at 154 pounds; Ennis is ranked No. 6.

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.

“Josh Kelly can win that fight,” Hearn said, “and if he wins that fight, we already have an agreement in place for him to fight Boots Ennis.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

DE LA HOYA DEMANDS 60-40 SPLIT FOR VERGIL ORTIZ TO FACE JARON ENNIS, CHIDES HIS PROMOTER

Vergil Ortiz and Jaron Ennis aren’t close to sealing a deal to square off.

In the meantime, their promoters are the ones embracing battle instead.

One day after Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Boxing head and Ennis' promoter, shared that prolonged negotiations had stalled, Ortiz's promoter Oscar De La Hoya showed his hand by dictating the terms of engagement he’s seeking.

“Eddie, since you are so desperate to make this fight, then let's do this — 60-40 [percentage split] for Vergil, and five percent to the winner, because I am generous. And I am not moving off of those numbers. You're the one begging for this fight, so let's go,” De La Hoya said in a video he posted on social media.

“It's so stupid as a promoter to pigeonhole your fighter into one opponent. You lose your negotiating power, which ends up being a lot of lost money for your fighter.”

The sentiment shared by De La Hoya is not far off the statements he made in November immediately after Ortiz (24-0, 22 KOs) stopped Erickson Lubin in two rounds. Afterward, Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs), the former Ring, IBF and WBA welterweight champion, entered the ring and traded words with his rival, demanding that the junior middleweight matchup takes place next.

De La Hoya, however, declared that they are the A-side and laid out ultimatums and alternative options that were questioned by Hearn.

In recent months, Golden Boy Promotions has revived its working relationship with Premier Boxing Champions head Al Haymon, as evidenced by the imminent announcement De La Hoya separately teased for Monday involving the fight between Ryan Garcia and WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios.

As they force Ennis and Hearn into a corner, De La Hoya and company could be inclined to continue working with PBC and its stacked 154-pound roster to secure equally meaningful fights for Ortiz, The Ring’s No. 1 contender and WBC interim titleholder.

“Look, Vergil can fight two or three different guys in megafights. He's got options,” said De La Hoya. “Imagine him versus Errol Spence at the Dallas Cowboys' stadium. Or [WBC junior middleweight champion] Sebastian Fundora in a megafight in Las Vegas. Boots is part of the plan for Ortiz, but it doesn't have to be next.”

[catalin714]

Pretty clear Oscar wants Ortiz as far away from Ennis as possible

[golden_labrador]

Pretty clear Oscar wants Ortiz as far away from Ennis as possible

he wants that Spence big fight $$$ before someone else gets it and finishes Spence for good. If I were Vergil's manager I'd probably be the same. the Boots fight will be even bigger for it once Ortiz demolishes Spence.

[Sendo Takeshi]

Yeah, Spence is a bigger fight with less risk. Win-win for golden boy.
It should probaly be a 50-50 split, but to be fair, even though Boots was a "champ" before, winning against Madrimov is a bigger win than all of Boots' wins.

[Ruthless-RKO]

‘It doesn’t have to be next’: Oscar De La Hoya douses cold water on Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis vs Vergil Ortiz

Oscar De La Hoya says Eddie Hearn is begging for Vergil Ortiz to fight Jaron Ennis.



It was immediately clear after Vergil Ortiz’s last fight that his team wasn’t exactly enthusiastic about the idea of immediately putting him in with Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis, which represents a highly anticipated fight that should be a no-brainer. While Boots’ promoter Eddie Hearn has continued to publicly call for that fight to be made , Golden Boy promoter Oscar De La Hoya now says they have options for Ortiz and he doesn’t need to take that fight next.

“I’ve been busy this week finalizing the Ryan Garcia vs (Mario) Barrios fight and details will be announced (today),” De La Hoya began. “I’m really excited to be working with PBC and Al Haymon. Look, we have a lot of great matchups to be made as the US top promoters. So I’m looking to keep the fights here in the US.

“In the meantime, Eddie Hearn is begging the media for this Boots and Vergil Ortiz fight. It’s so stupid as a promoted to pigeonhole your fighter into one opponent. You end up losing your negotiating power, which ends up being a lot of lost money for your fighter.

“Also, every time a manager tries t0 be a hero and negotiate behind the promoters back, they lose money for the fighter, and at the same time violate the Muhammad Ali act. And you know what? I’m going to start sending legal letters enforcing this because I’m f-ckin’ tired of it and I will be exposing them, trust me.

“Look, Vergil can fight two or three different guys in megafights. He’s got options. Imagine him with Errol Spence at Dallas Cowboy stadium, or Sebastian Fundora in a megafight in Vegas. Boots is part of the plan but it doesn’t have to be next. But Eddie, since you’re so desperate to make this fight then let’s do this: 60/40 for Vergil and 5% to the winner because I’m generous — and I’m not moving off those numbers. You’re the one who’s begging for this fight. So let’s go.”

De La Hoya would later post another message online where he gave Hearn one day to accept his proposal or says their side will be moving on.

[Evander]

I think they have already made this fight

[Ruthless-RKO]

Oscar De La Hoya ‘moving on’ from Vergil Ortiz-Jaron Ennis talks

“Eddie did not call me, so I am moving on.”

Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions told Boxing Scene Monday his self-imposed deadline for a response from promoter Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing has gone unanswered, meaning De Le Hoya will take his fighter Vergil Ortiz Jnr somewhere other than a fight with Hearn’s fighter, Jaron “Boots” Ennis, next.

Messages left for Hearn were not immediately returned.

De La Hoya posted a weekend Instagram Reel proposing a 60-40 purse split in the favor of Texas’ interim WBC 154lbs titleholder Ortiz, 24-0 (22 KOs), over interim WBA titleholder and recent unified welterweight champion Ennis, 35-0 (31KOs), with the winner earning 5%.

On Monday’s edition of ProBox TV’s “Boxing Scene Today,” analyst and former two-division titleholder Paulie Malignaggi correctly deduced that Philadelphia’s Ennis would not only be leaving his comfort zone by most likely taking the fight to Las Vegas, but also risking a 35% purse split by losing.

“I get the feeling this fight’s doomed,” fellow analyst and former 140lbs titleholder Chris Algieri said. “There’s guys who make fights, and guys who make disruptions.”

Algieri didn’t specify which guy in the process he was alluding to, but he, herds of fight fans and the fighters’ streaming partner DAZN clearly wanted the Ortiz-Ennis fight to happen now – with them both unbeaten and both under 30.

“I just want to see them in their primes.”

De La Hoya is expected to initiate contact with WBC junior middleweight titleholder Sebastian Fundora’s representatives, and he said on his Reel that former three-belt welterweight champion Errol Spence Jnr, also of Texas, is also a possible future foe for the 27-year-old Ortiz.

Algieri said on Monday’s show that he viewed Ortiz-Ennis “as close to a 50-50 fight as there can be,” adding Ortiz’s ability to attract the vibrant Latino fan base provides him more leverage in the talks.

Malignaggi also credited Ortiz’s stiffer resume as a badge, noting he’s defeated interim 154lbs titleholder Serhii Bohachuk, former WBA 154lbs titleholder Israil Madrimov and former title challenger Erickson Lubin in succession.

Ennis, 28, settled for a debut in his new weight class against Uisma Lima and knocked him out in the first round in Philadelphia.

“If [Ortiz] doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen, but I don’t want to see Jaron in another fight against a guy who delivers my room service,” Malignaggi said. “If he does, that’s a Jaron issue. Then, you have to question the character.”

For now, however, WBO titleholder Xander Zayas is fighting primary WBA titleholder Abass Baraou on January 31, while Bakhram Murtazaliev is defending his IBF belt the same day against England’s Josh Kelly.

“It’s really compounded against Ennis. It’s more a disruption than a deal,” Algieri said on the show, taped hours before De La Hoya spoke to Boxing Scene. “If they throw a bunk deal at him, there is a real worry.

“This is going to be real interesting to see how these guys part ways.”

Malignaggi said if there’s any light at the end of the tunnel, it’s that Ortiz has proven he’ll participate in rugged fights, while Ennis has a wealth of depth to select from in the 154lbs pool.

“I want to see competition, no showcase fights,” Malignaggi said.

Algieri fretted that the division may ultimately scar their records, however, and wondered what Ortiz’s demands will be should he win a full title.

“80-20?” he asked.

[Evander]

Let's talk about appeal to the fans

I'd say Ortiz, his name carries weight he's been in some serious fights
That said neither of them have a huge following
I'm not going to suggest they both take a couple of fights and come back later
Unless they can make it next

[Ruthless-RKO]

[catalin714]

Quack

[golden_labrador]

he reminds me so much of the classroom bullsh1tters when I was at school

[Ruthless-RKO]

he reminds me so much of the classroom bullsh1tters when I was at school

He tries to make everyone else the bad guy and make himself believeable