Vergil Ortiz Jr. Jaron Ennis got the better of him

Promoter Oscar De La Hoya made it clear to the media that Vergil Ortiz Jr “overhand” in any negotiations with Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis for a fight following Vergil’s second round knockout victory over Erickson ‘The Hammer’ Lubin (27-3, 19 KOs) on Saturday night at the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.

(Credit: Golden Boy Promotions / Cris Esqueda)

Calling the Shots

Oscar says Vergil Jr. is the “better man” going into the negotiations with Ennis, and that means he can speak the truth.

Golden Boy promoter De La Hoya repeatedly said after the fight that Ortiz Jr. (24-0, 22 KOs) will call the shots in talks for a fight against Ennis. So, if there is going to be a fight between them, it will be on Ortiz Jr’s terms. This could be a problem because Ennis is a star, and he is used to receiving favorable terms.

Fans Smell a Dodge

De La Hoya’s comment on Vergil Jr. who has the “upper hand” in negotiations is already seen by fans on social media as a strategy for Oscar to avoid the fight. Why does De La Hoya want his golden goose picked clean by Jaron Ennis to ruin the money before it starts rolling into the pickup truck?

Vergil Jr. didn’t look so good tonight against Erickson. He appeared slow, stiff and plodding in his performance against Lubin. If Ortiz Jr. fighting someone who could move, box and punch like Ennis, it might have been a bad night at the office for him.

“Money won’t be a problem because there will be enough money in the pot. I’ll sit down with Eddie Hearn, and we obviously have the upper hand because he (Vergil Ortiz) is the better man, and see if we can come to peace. I’m sure we will,” said Oscar De La Hoya at the post-fight press conferenceletting the media know that Ortiz Jr. the A side will be in negotiations with Jaron Ennis.

De La Hoya is a promoter and is looking for Vergil Jr. in the best way possible in negotiations. This sounds like transparent deviation from Oscar. Of course, if you’re sitting on a massive oil well that will bring in gazillions, you take the strategy of stifled by limiting production to get maximum recovery by bringing it in slowly.

“It was good. Lubin was sitting on the ropes like a sitting target,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. Fight Hub TVreact to Vergil Ortiz Jr’s destruction of Erickson Lubin tonight.