Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis claims he didn’t know what was going on with Virgil Ortiz Jr’s situation when he decided not to agree to fight him on His Excellency Turki Alalshikha’s February 22 season card in Riyadh.
In an interview, Ennis (33-0, 29 KOs) initially said it was a “miscommunication” and that he wasn’t in the loop for Virgil Jr.’s talks. However, in the same interview, Ennis admits he decided not to fight Ortiz because he wanted to stay at 147 and try to unify the division.
Interestingly, when Boots was asked about his previous remarks about being willing to go up to 154 to fight Terence Crawford, he said it’s different because he’s a future Hall of Famer. So he would move up to 154, but he would have to put up a big fight against Crawford.
Fans still think Ennis avoided Ortiz (22-0, 21 KOs), considering he would have gotten a big payday and increased his chances of fighting Crawford.
If Boots were to move up to junior middleweight, he would at least have a chance to win that fight. The rest at 147 does not give him a chance because he is in a different weight category, fighting less popular fighters.
“Out of the loop”
“I was reaching out to everyone involved to find out what was going on and there was a whole lot of miscommunication. I got a great team and engaged them to do their work, but I felt like I was out of the loop. From now on, I’ll be more up to date with what’s going on,” Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis told ISM Sports Mediaclaiming he didn’t know what was going on in the Virgil Ortiz Jr. fight he decided not to take.
“They were asking for a deadline (for the Feb. 22 card) and I was undecided,” Ennis said of why he didn’t accept the Vergil Jr. fight. “I want to unite or be uncontested.” Everyone called me the ‘Email Champion’ because I could never take the title from someone. I got the belt. “I never had the feeling of winning a world title and taking it from someone,” Boots said.
That sounds weak from Ennis, who says he wants to stay at 147 because he has NEVER won a world title from anyone and was emailed his IBF belt. The problem is that the three other light heavyweight champions are highly regarded. They are seen as paper champions with no fan base and it won’t help Boots’ popularity if he beats them.
Another problem is that all champions are tied at 147, and they don’t go free. If they become available, Boots promoter Eddie Hearn would have to meet their asking price. He failed to do so with WBO champion Brian Norman Jr., Mario Barrios or WBA champion Eimantas Stanionis. If Ennis stays at 147 in 2025, it’s possible Hearn won’t be able to arrange a unification fight for him.
“Terence Crawford is a future Hall of Famer,” Ennis said, when asked why he would be willing to move up to 154 to fight Crawford if given the chance, but NOT Virgil Ortiz Jr. “It’s the same thing when he’s trying to get Canelo.” To get to 168 and just fight Canelo, but no one else at 168. It’s the same thing.”
If Ennis is willing to move up to 154 to fight Crawford, he should have moved up in the Vergil fight because it looks bad that he chose not to fight him on Turkey’s February 22 card.
Validation at 147
“2025, my next match is unification. As I said before. I’ve got to get my hands on one of those belts (at 147),” Ennis said. “I have to get that feeling if I take a belt from someone.” I have yet to feel that feeling, and I feel like that’s what I need for my career and my legacy.
“I need that feeling of taking the belt from somebody.” I have a feeling it will rub off. “I’ll feel better at 147,” Ennis said.
