There is negotiation trouble for the proposed junior middleweight contender main event between Jaron "Boots" Ennis and Vergil Ortiz and the bout tentatively set for March may not happen
A proposed main event battle in the first part of 2026 for unbeaten fighters Jaron "Boots" Ennis, the former unified welterweight champion and 154 lb. top contender, Vergil Oritz is in jeopardy. And, it's for the typical boxing issue of promoters, money and who has it/should have to pay for their fight?
This was a topic that insider Dan Rafael and I discussed on the latest edition of the "Fight Freaks Unite Podcast" out Monday morning.
You can hear the full discussion about 35 minutes into the show here:
At the center of the ongoing dispute surrounding a highly anticipated 154 lb. showdown lies a breakdown not between fighters, but between promoters and platforms. As Rafael explained on the show- according to Matchroom's Eddie Hearn (who represents Ennis) and supported by others familiar with the situation, a foundational agreement was reached months ago during a closed-door meeting involving Golden Boy Promotions, Matchroom , and senior DAZN broadcasting executives.
That meeting was not about individual fighter contracts. Instead, it focused on how the two promotional companies would structure their business relationship for the fight. Rafael further explained that multiple revenue models were discussed, including a 60%–40% split or an even "50–50" arrangement with an added five percent bonus going to the winner. The latter concept, which would effectively make the final split 55%–45%, was viewed favorably by many because it reintroduced a classic prizefighting incentive: extra money earned in the ring.
However, problems have emerged, because Golden Boy’s Oscar De La Hoya reportedly attempted to revisit or alter that agreed structure. The suspicion among industry insiders is that the motivation behind the shift is tied to separate negotiations with Ortiz's camp, where final financial terms remain unresolved.
Rafael repeated the premise he's heard that by securing a larger percentage from Matchroom’s side of the deal, Golden Boy could potentially satisfy Ortiz’s demands without increasing its own financial exposure.
This alleged maneuver has caused significant friction. Matchroom, DAZN, and other stakeholders are said to be frustrated, particularly because the fight has already been promised internally and publicly. DAZN, which has invested heavily in its upcoming schedule, is applying intense pressure to ensure the bout moves forward.
The Ennis-Ortiz match-up has been over a year in the making with Ennis having backed out of the tentatively agreed to meeting for last February, when he wanted to change the fight weight from junior middleweight and make Ortiz come back down to welterweight.
The fight was off and Ennis, 35-0, 31 KOs, went on to win two more welterweight title fights beating Eimantas Stanionis by sixth round stoppage and a first round KO of unknown Uisma Lima in October.
As for Ortiz, he is a devastating puncher at 24-0, 22 KOs, and has won five straight bouts at junior middleweight since moving up in January of 2024. That included his November two round demolition of former 154 lb. champ Erickson Lubin.
Complicating matters further is Golden Boy’s broader business position.
Rafael pointed out on the show that while DAZN has a packed calendar featuring Matchroom, Queensberry, and Ring Magazine events, Golden Boy has only it's Friday night Alexis Rocha-Rafael Curiel welterweight main event show in California on the current schedule for the first quarter of 2026 .
With their DAZN contract reportedly nearing expiration and not yet formally renewed, delivering the Ennis-Ortiz fight may be critical leverage in securing a new deal.
For now, negotiations remain tense, with all parties aware that failure to deliver could have consequences for Golden Boy far beyond this single fight.
Now, we wait for what can or can't be resolved to get this highly anticipated battle in the ring.