From the promotional side, the tone hardened. Oscar De La Hoya has said he is prepared to move on after not receiving a response from Ennis promoter Eddie Hearn on a proposed split. That public stance can be leverage, or it can be a real sign that patience is running out. Either way, it shifted the conversation from anticipation to exhaustion.
Ortiz manager Rick Mirigian pushed back on the notion that talks were done, saying he remains authorized to negotiate directly. That detail matters. This suggests that the battle is not dead, so much as poorly led, caught between camps and waiting for the other side to snap.
Analysts largely agreed on one point. The fighters are not the problem. Chris Algieri described the situation as a standard negotiation stalemate shaped by egos and competing interests. Paulie Malignaggi was less diplomatic, arguing that Ortiz has already shown his willingness to take risks, while Ennis now faces increased pressure to demonstrate the same intent.
The wider junior middleweight landscape offers little relief. All four major title holders have already been booked. Xander Zayas, Abass Baraou and Bakhram Murtazaliev are scheduled for January, while Sebastian Fundora is expected to face Keith Thurman later in the spring. Ortiz holds an interim belt with no clear destination. Ennis is new to the weight and is still waiting for a defining assignment.
Speculation filled the space. Errol Spence Jr. was mentioned along with Tim Tszyu, while Jermell Charlo floats as a theoretical option if the division moves. Even Garcia questioned whether those paths make sense now.
There has also been quiet talk of outside money stepping in to force progress, with Saudi financier Turki Alalshikh mentioned as a possible bridge. Whether that avenue still exists, given strained relations behind the scenes, is unclear.
For now, Ortiz vs. Ennis remains the obvious fight that no one seems capable of finalizing. Boxing has a long history of letting clarity slip while negotiations continue. This situation is starting to feel like another entry on that list.
