Jaron “Boots” Ennis and Vergil Ortiz have already agreed terms for a fight, Eddie Hearn has revealed, but the promoter is still hesitant to say the it will definitely happen.
Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) and Ortiz (24-0, 22 KOs) have long been primed for a hugely exciting clash and faced off in the ring following Ortiz’s emphatic Round 2 win over Erickson Lubin in Texas on Saturday, both seemingly intent on fighting each other next.
Both Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing and Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy promotions have deals with DAZN, meaning broadcast negotiations — which are often an obstacle to a deal being done — should not be an issue.
Hearn, who represents Ennis, said nothing was certain despite terms being agreed prior to Ortiz’s win over Lubin.
“We sat in a room; DAZN senior management, Oscar De La Hoya, [Golden Boy president] Eric Gomez, and agreed the terms for that fight,” Hearn told ESPN.
“Boots signed for those terms, so if those terms have to change, we would discuss that. But they haven’t been that forthcoming. They did say that if they win on Saturday, which they did, they would try and get the fight made.”
Asked what would prevent a deal, Hearn said: “Delusion. People not really wanting the fight. I mean you’ve seen them come out [saying]: ‘We are the A side.’ Who cares who’s the A side or B side? Vergil’s never won a world title. [Ennis] has won a world title, unified.
“Vergil’s a great fighter. Boots is a great fighter. You can easily make up reasons not to make a fight.”
After Ortiz’s win, De La Hoya declared his fighter was the A side.
“I’m going to sit down with Eddie Hearn. We obviously have the upper hand because he’s [Ortiz] the better man and see if we can come to terms which I’m sure we will,” De La Hoya said.
“Hopefully Eddie Hearn calls us an we can come to favourable terms for Vergil and get him what he wants.”
In response to those comments, Hearn said: “I mean don’t like a lot of the comments I’m hearing already, but I do know that DAZN will put a lot of pressure on everybody to make that fight.
“We went to Dallas because we wanted to show we are 100% in for that fight.”
