The talk didn’t stop, but the money changed. For months, the assumption around boxing was that a showdown between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Jaron “Boots” Ennis would eventually be pushed over the line by Saudi funding. That pillow is no longer there. Without it, the fight landed back in the real market, and the landing was not smooth.
Once a third party no longer absorbs the risk, the economics change rapidly. Oscar De La Hoya stressed this week that negotiations with DAZN are ongoing, but the tone has moved away from anticipation and towards reassurance. It’s no longer about announcing a big event. It’s about making the numbers work. Without a safety net, every percentage point matters, and small disagreements have a way of festering instead of resolving.
The calendar added pressure. The March 28 Las Vegas date that once housed Ortiz and Ennis is gone, now occupied by Sebastian Fundora’s defense against Keith Thurman. Losing that slot removes urgency and leverage at the same time. It also makes patience more expensive.
For Ennis, alternatives exist, but this is telling. He could move on to the winner of Bakhram Murtazaliev against Josh Kelly, or take a tough technical fight against Israil Madrimov. Those matches keep him busy and credible, but they don’t replace what a win over Ortiz would represent, either competitively or historically.
It’s not about desire. Both fighters want the same thing, to establish themselves as the best at 154 pounds. The obstacle is structural. Ortiz’s legal dispute with Golden Boy complicates an already tight financial picture, and in a market that has become cautious almost overnight, complications carry great weight.
At this point the question is simple. Is Ortiz vs. Ennis a necessity that the business needs to resolve, or a luxury that seems easier to put off once the spreadsheet gets involved?
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Last updated on 28/01/2026
