Jaron Ennis is moving up to super welterweight and getting ready to fight Vergil Ortiz Jr. The two undefeated fighters are set to face off in what's shaping up to be one of the biggest fights in America.
Ennis, known as 'Boots', has decided to leave the welterweight division behind. The 28-year-old from Philadelphia recently unified the WBA and IBF welterweight belts by stopping Eimantas Stanionis in the sixth round at Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City. But tough weight cuts have been affecting his performance, and doctors advised him to move up.
Since turning pro in 2016, Ennis has racked up an impressive 35 wins with no losses. He's now eyeing a clash with Vergil Ortiz Jr at 154 pounds. Ortiz, the 27-year-old Texan, holds the WBC interim champion title and boasts a perfect record of 23 wins.
Ortiz made a name for himself by ending his first 21 fights inside the distance. He recently defended his title against Israil Madrimov on February 22 and has since undergone hand surgery.
The fight talks kicked off on August 16 when Ennis expressed interest. Ortiz wasn't ready then, but things have progressed. Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing told Fight Hub TV:
"Myself and Golden Boy are talking about that fight, it's gonna be one of the biggest fights in America. As I said to Vergil, you two guys are two young, brilliant fighters. This fight is happening. December, January or February, Boots vs Ortiz will happen."
Before the big showdown, Ennis plans to have a warm-up fight at his new weight class. He's looking at late September or early October for this. The Ortiz fight got locked in during negotiations with Turki Alalshikh on November 22.
Boxing fans can look forward to this clash of undefeated talents. It's a fight that promises to showcase the skills of two of America's brightest young stars in the ring.
