Promoter Oscar De La Hoya confirmed today that he’s interested in putting together a fight between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis for 2026 if they both win their next fight.
“Down the Line” Creates Doubt
Ortiz Jr. (23-0, 21 KOs) has to win his fight against Erickson Lubin (27-2, 19 KOs) on November 8, and Ennis (34-0, 30 KOs) must defeat Uisma Lima for the fight Ortiz Jr.- Ennis contest to happen.
What has some boxing fans suspicious about whether De La Hoya is truly interested in making that fight is his saying that Vergil Jr. and ‘Boots’ can fight “down the line.” When someone says that, it’s interpreted to mean a long-term future event.
If you’re Ennis’ promoter, Eddie Hearn, you have to read that comment to mean that Oscar isn’t eager to make the fight between Vergil and ‘Boots.’ There’s no other way to view.
Ortiz Vulnerability Now Clear
It’s understandable why De La Hoya would change his mind about matching his fighter, Vergil Jr., against Ennis. Ortiz has been in back-to-back grueling fights against Israil Madrimov and Serhii Bohachuk, which he came close to losing. Those fights showed that Ortiz Jr. is very beatable, and not the fighter that De La Hoya makes him out to be.
“Vergil wants to fight the top guys. Lubin is a dangerous fighter. I feel Vergil, at 154, nobody beats him. If Vergil wins against Lubin and there’s a fight to be made against ‘Boots,’ then that’s what we’re going to go after,” said promoter Oscar De La Hoya to Golden Boy Boxing about wanting to make a fight between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis.
“It would be a massive fight. I feel Vergil Ortiz against ‘Boots’ is a super fight down the line, but Lubin is right in front of Vergil. It has to be a perfect fight for Vergil,” said De La Hoya.
