Eddie Hearn says a fight between Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and WBC interim junior middleweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jr. isn’t quite dead for February 22nd. However, it doesn’t look good as Boots (33-0, 29 KOs) is still looking to unify the welterweight division.
Hearn says that the Ennis-Ortiz fight “Probably won’t happen,” but he leaves it up to Boots to decide if he wants to take it. He says when he spoke to Ennis (28) and asked him about his interest in Vergil Ortiz Jr. (22-0, 21 KOs), he talked about still wanting to unify the 147-lb division.
Based on Hearn’s conversation, he doubts whether the fight between Jaron and Vergil Jr. will take place. Ennis holds the IBF welterweight title and wants to unify against the other three champions, which would be much easier fights for him than facing Ortiz, 26. dare to take a bad loss.
Boxing fans on social media believe Boots is scared due to another poor performance against Karen Chukhadzhian on November 9, and he will face one of the best fighters at 154 against Vergil Jr.
The chances of Ennis losing will be high, and he may even be knocked out. Getting KO’d by Vergil Jr. would ruin Ennis’ career, and fans would no longer see him in the same light. He would go from being considered a superstar to just another hype job, which he already is after his latest performance against Karen.
“I’m still talking, but when I proposed the fight it was at 147, which is obviously a no-brainer. Then we were told it was at 154, which is good,” Eddie Hearn told the Pounding Groundshowing the fallout from the failed negotiations between Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and WBC interim junior middleweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jr.
“It’s really just timing. We have unification fights in the works, and Boots should decide to vacate the title and move up to fight (Ortiz Jr.) for no title (WBC interim 154).
“So, I’m not saying it’s completely dead, but timing-wise, if they want to announce it today, it probably won’t happen. But it’s up to Boots, it’s up to him, and he hasn’t made a decision on his weight class yet, but he’s still leaning towards trying to unify, so that’s probably the option.
“Maybe in the summer. For February 22, I’m not saying it’s completely dead, but it’s hard to try to close the fight on Thanksgiving and say to Boots, ‘You have to vacate your (IBF welterweight) title today.’ He’s like, ‘What, I can’t unite?’ “Well you can, but we need an answer.” So, that was the conversation last night. So, we’ll see what happens.
“No, no. If he doesn’t fight Ortiz, he won’t fight until April,” Hearn said when asked if Boots Ennis could still fight someone else on the February 22nd card,” Hearn said.
