A long-anticipated showdown between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Jaron Ennis appears no closer to reality and for now, it’s the promoters trading punches instead of the fighters. Just one day after Eddie Hearn acknowledged that negotiations for Ortiz-Ennis have stalled, Ortiz’s promoter, Oscar De La Hoya, escalated tensions by publicly dictating the terms he says are required to make the fight.
“Eddie, since you are so desperate to make this fight, then let’s do this 60-40 percentage split for Vergil, and five percent to the winner, because I am generous,” De La Hoya said in a video posted to social media. “And I am not moving off of those numbers. You’re the one begging for this fight, so let’s go.”
Promoters at Odds as Talks Stall
The comments come amid growing frustration surrounding negotiations between Golden Boy Promotions and Matchroom Boxing. Hearn, who represents Ennis, recently admitted that while discussions have dragged on for months, meaningful progress has been hard to find.
De La Hoya didn’t stop at financial demands. He also took a swipe at Hearn’s negotiating strategy, suggesting Ennis has been boxed into a corner.
“It’s so stupid as a promoter to pigeonhole your fighter into one opponent,” De La Hoya said. “You lose your negotiating power, which ends up being a lot of lost money for your fighter.”
Origins of the Standoff
The animosity dates back to November, immediately after Ortiz (24-0, 22 KOs) stopped Erickson Lubin in two rounds. Following the win, Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) then the Ring, IBF, and WBA welterweight champion entered the ring and confronted Ortiz, calling for the junior middleweight clash to happen next.
While the moment electrified fans, De La Hoya quickly pumped the brakes. He reiterated that Ortiz is the A-side and made it clear that Golden Boy would not rush into a deal on terms they deem unfavorable a stance that Hearn has publicly questioned.
Golden Boy’s Leverage Grows
Adding another wrinkle to the situation is Golden Boy’s renewed working relationship with Premier Boxing Champions and its influential head, Al Haymon. De La Hoya recently teased an imminent announcement involving a fight between Ryan Garcia and WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios, further underscoring Golden Boy’s expanding options.
With PBC boasting a deep and talented 154-pound roster. Ortiz The Ring’s No. 1 contender and WBC interim junior middleweight titleholder is hardly short on alternatives.
“Look, Vergil can fight two or three different guys in megafights. He’s got options,” De La Hoya said. “Imagine him versus Errol Spence at the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium. Or WBC junior middleweight champion Sebastian Fundora in a megafight in Las Vegas. Boots is part of the plan for Ortiz, but it doesn’t have to be next.”
What’s Next?
For fans, the promoter-driven standoff is an all-too-familiar roadblock standing between two of boxing’s most dangerous young stars. Ortiz-Ennis remains one of the most compelling matchups in the sport. But unless Golden Boy and Matchroom can find common ground, the fight may remain just that a hypothetical.
Until then, De La Hoya has made his position clear. Ortiz holds the leverage, the split won’t change, and Ennis is only one of several paths forward.
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Robert LaMar is a writer for Dice City Sports. You can follow him on X via @RobertLaMar26
