Ennis vs. Ortiz: A Step Closer to the Ring
Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Vergil Ortiz are one step closer to a highly anticipated boxing match, with promoter Eddie Hearn confirming that the fighters have reached an agreement on terms. However, Hearn remains cautious about declaring the bout as a certainty.
Fighter Records and Recent Performances
Ennis, who boasts an impressive record of 35 wins, with 31 coming by knockout, and Ortiz, undefeated at 24 wins with 22 KOs, are both eager for this showdown, especially after Ortiz’s dominant performance against Erickson Lubin in Texas last Saturday where he secured a victory in the second round.
Promotional Collaboration
The collaboration between Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing and Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, both partnered with DAZN for broadcasting rights, suggests that potential hurdles related to negotiations should not be troubling for the match. Hearn, who represents Ennis, acknowledged that despite the agreed terms, nothing is set in stone following Ortiz’s latest win.
“We were in a room with DAZN’s senior management, Oscar De La Hoya, and Eric Gomez to finalize the fight conditions,” Hearn detailed in an interview with ESPN. He stated that Ennis has signed the agreement, but if any changes to these terms arise, they would need to be addressed. “They were non-committal initially but mentioned that if they won, they would seek to finalize this matchup.”
Potential Obstacles
When questioned about what obstacles might obstruct the fight from happening, Hearn offered a blunt assessment.
“Delusion or a lack of genuine interest in making this fight happen. There are those claiming to be the ‘A side’; frankly, that’s irrelevant. Vergil hasn’t yet captured a world title, while Ennis has already unified championships.”
He went on to praise both fighters’ skills, indicating that there could be convoluted reasons preventing the fight from materializing despite the mutual desire.
De La Hoya’s Position
After Ortiz’s recent victory, De La Hoya publicly stated that Ortiz is the ‘A side’ in any negotiations moving forward.
“I’ll be speaking with Eddie Hearn soon. We have a strong hand with Vergil and I’m confident we can come to an agreement,” he remarked.
In reaction to these statements, Hearn expressed his discontent with some of the comments circulating but reassured that DAZN is keen on applying pressure to make this fight a reality, emphasizing their commitment by attending Ortiz’s match in Dallas.
Conclusion
Ultimately, fans of boxing remain hopeful as both Ennis and Ortiz represent exciting talent in the welterweight division, and the prospect of their impending fight has sparked considerable interest in the sport.
