Eddie Hearn says the fight between Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis and WBC Interim Junior Middleweight Champion Vergil Ortiz Jr. not fully completed by February 22. However, it’s not looking good as Boots (33-0, 29 KOs) is still looking to unify the welterweight division.
Hearn states that the Ennis-Ortiz fight is “probably not going to happen,” but leaves it up to Boots to decide if he wants to accept it. He says that when he spoke with Ennis, 28, asking about his interest in facing Vergil Ortiz Jr. (22-0, 21 KOs), he talked about still wanting to unify the 147-pound division.
Based on Hearn’s conversation, he suspects that the fight will take place between Jaron and Vergil Jr. risking a bad loss.
Boxing fans on social media believe that Boots is scared because he has another bad game against Karen Choukajian on November 9, and will face one of the best fighters at 154 against Vergil Jr.
The chances of Ennis losing would be high and he could even get knocked out. If Virgil Jr. knocked out, it would have ruined Ennis’ career, and the fans would no longer see him in the same light. He would go from being a superstar to just another hype job, already perceived after his last performance against Karen.
“I’m still talking, but when they offered me the fight, it was at 147, which is obviously unreasonable. “Then they told us it was at 154, which is fine,” Eddie Hearn said Stomping Groundsumming up the aftermath of the failed negotiations between Jeron ‘Boots’ Ennis and interim WBC middleweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jr.
“It’s really just a moment. Unification fights are underway, and Boots must decide to vacate the title and fight (Ortiz Jr.) without the title (WBC interim 154).
“So I’m not saying it’s completely dead, but time-wise, if they want to announce it today, it’s probably not going to 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 an option.
“Maybe in the summer.” For February 22nd, I’m not saying it’s completely dead, but it’s hard to try to close the fight on Thanksgiving and say to the Boots, ‘You have to vacate your (IBF welterweight) title today.’ He’s like, ‘What, can’t I 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 fight on the February 22 card against someone else,” Hearn said.
