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Eddie Hearn nonetheless can’t say for sure that Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis will combat WBC interim junior middleweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jr. subsequent. The Matchroom promoter Hearn says, “Maybe” the Ennis vs. Vergil Jr. conflict will occur on February twenty second. He expects an announcement quickly.
Boot’s Should Resolve
Ennis nonetheless hasn’t determined if he’ll take the combat, which indicators that he and his promoter, Hearn, are anxious about what may occur if he strikes as much as 154 to combat Vergil. Ennis seemed actually dangerous in his final combat in opposition to Karen Chukhadzhian on November ninth and didn’t carry out nicely in his match earlier than that in opposition to David Avanesyan.
Boots is confronted with a giant determination: Ought to he vacate his IBF welterweight title and transfer as much as 154 or keep the place he’s at, defending in opposition to lesser opposition?
No matter he decides, it would mirror his self-confidence. At this level, it seems like he’s misplaced his self-belief and can possible keep at 147 to proceed to defend his belt.
Shifting as much as 154 would imply that Ennis can be getting into the unknown, which might be a catastrophe for him. Vergil Jr. can punch, and Boots will not be precisely troublesome to hit.
Few folks consider Ennis can be victorious in opposition to Vergil as a result of he doesn’t appear like he’s an elite-level fighter proper now. You possibly can inform that Hearn has misplaced religion in Ennis after watching his final two performances in opposition to Chukhadzhian and Avanesyan.
Hearn states that Ennis (33-0, 29 KOs) will determine if he needs to face the unbeaten Ortiz Jr. (22-0, 21 KOs) subsequent. He prefers the combat happen at 147 for his IBF welterweight belt, however that’s not attainable as a result of Vergil, 26, is simply too huge to soften all the way down to that weight class.
Vergil has been combating at 154 for his final three fights since 2022, and it will take an excessive amount of of him to return to the division.
Announcement Quickly
“Maybe,” mentioned Eddie Hearn to the media when requested if the Vergil Ortiz Jr. vs. Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis combat might be taking place on February twenty second. “We have now been in discussions. Clearly, Boots would somewhat combat at 147, however Vergil received’t combat there. He moved to 154.
“I believe there might be an announcement very quickly for February twenty second. The issue is it’s Thanksgiving right now, which isn’t simple. It’s like me attempting to barter a cope with a UK fighter on Christmas Day. We just like the combat, however Boots has to decide.
“Do you get rid of the [IBF welterweight] belt, or do you move? I don’t know which way he’s going to go,” mentioned Hearn.
