Jaron Ennis and Vergil Ortiz Jr have agreed to fight each other in Saudi Arabia. The bout will take place at super-welterweight on February 22 as part of the Riyadh Season event.
'Boots' Ennis, the current IBF welterweight champion, will move up in weight for the fight. He's undefeated in 33 fights and wants to get the best out of his abilities at 154 lbs. Ennis last fought in November when he defended his title against Karen Chukhadzhian. He won by unanimous decision, but many felt his performance was underwhelming.
Ortiz Jr holds the interim WBC super-welterweight title and boasts an impressive record. He's won all 22 of his professional fights, with 21 of those victories coming by knockout. That gives him a knockout ratio of 95%. In his last fight, Ortiz Jr faced some adversity. He was knocked down twice but still managed to win a majority decision over Serhii Bohachuk. It was the first time in his career that he didn't win by knockout.
The two fighters have reached a verbal agreement, but we're still waiting for official confirmation of the bout.
If Ennis wins, he'll be in a strong position to challenge Terence Crawford. That's a fight he's wanted for a long time. Crawford won the WBA super-welterweight title in August when he beat Israil Madrimov. He's looking for an opponent for 2025.
This fight will be a real test for both men. Ennis is moving up in weight and facing a dangerous puncher. Ortiz Jr is taking on a highly skilled opponent who many see as a future pound-for-pound star. It's shaping up to be an exciting matchup between two undefeated fighters in their prime.
