Ennis has WBA secondary status after re-signing with Matchroom. Zayas unified the WBA and WBO titles earlier this year. Kelly won the IBF belt in Newcastle. The current promotional setup creates two viable fights at the championship level without requiring a court decision before action can resume in the division.
Vergil Ortiz’s contractual dispute with Golden Boy remains before a Nevada court following arguments over a temporary restraining order tied to his promotional deal. Golden Boy requested arbitration, while Ortiz’s representatives moved to dismiss the suit. No judgment has been issued.
“If we can’t get Vergil Ortiz, the primary target is Xander Zayas,” Hearn said. “And if we can’t get him, we have Josh Kelly. I want to do Boots vs. Vergil Ortiz, Xander vs. Josh Kelly, and then the winners fight each other.”
The originally discussed spring target for Ortiz–Ennis has become less certain, and prolonged inactivity would leave Ennis in an uncomfortable position near the top of the weight class. A move to Zayas or Kelly would maintain title relevance and prevent the division from heading toward unresolved contractual issues.
“It creates a very strong tree of fights at 154,” Hearn said. “So whether it’s Vergil or not, you have big fights, and you can keep everyone moving.”
Under the proposed structure, Ennis would face either Zayas or the winner of Zayas-Kelly if Ortiz is unavailable. The plan keeps the belt holders busy and limits further stagnation at the top of the weight class, where widespread uncertainty has already slowed meaningful movement in recent months.
