“We have had several conversations with Golden Boy in the past week. Yet Vergil tweets: ‘I don’t know anything about it.’ It doesn’t make sense,” Hearn said KGTV while addressing the situation publicly.
Hearn indicated that while talks continue, he is wary of allowing negotiations to continue without tangible movement. He said the goal is to avoid lengthy discussions that ultimately lead nowhere, especially given the scale of the battle.
According to Hearn, Ortiz vs. Ennis a big matchup with significant upside, one he believes stands alongside other high-profile fights currently being discussed at the top level of the sport. This belief is also shared by broadcast partner DAZN, who according to Hearn is putting strong pressure on both promotional sides to get the agreement over their heads.
Despite that, Hearn offered a more cautious outlook when asked about the likelihood of the fight being settled. He described the chances as “better than 50–50”, a figure that still reflects significant uncertainty given the time already spent on talks.
The lack of clarity has existed for months. After Ortiz’s win over Erickson Lubin last November, the WBC publicly named interim junior middleweight champion Errol Spence as a preferred opponent, calling it a “dream fight.” His trainer, Robert Garcia, also suggested alternative options within the division, adding to questions about Ortiz’s immediate plans.
“I believe Oscar and those guys want to make the best fights, like we do,” Hearn said, referring to Oscar De La Hoya. “We are talking, but we need some progress, and we need to lock in this date.”
