Jaron Ennis vs Vergil Ortiz Jr seems to be off as the court of arbitration favour Golden Boy Promotion an interim injunctive relief.
High level boxing is known for troubling negotiation stages, and Jaron Ennis vs Vergil Ortiz Jr is the latest episode.
Let’s set the scene.
A fight with no belts on the line, and two promoters with the same broadcast partner, yet obstacle after obstacle have casted major doubt on this fight.
Widely regarded as the two best super-welterweight’s on the planet, this fight would’ve been a standout in the American boxing schedule.
Jaron Ennis (35-0, 31ko’s), a unified welterweight champion, moved up to 154lbs in 2025.
Eddie Hearn and Matchroom Boxing are in his corner.
He headlined the Wells Fargo Center in his hometown of Philadelphia for the third time in his first fight at 154, defeating Uisma Lima (15-2, 10ko’s) in the first round.
Hearn has widely claimed Ennis will become America’s next superstar, and this Ortiz Jr fight would have been the perfect next step.
On the other side of the ring, Team Ortiz Jr is where the chaos has been situated.
Signed to Golden Boy Promotions, Vergil Ortiz Jr (24-0, 22ko’s) has undoubtedly tried his hardest to make this fight happen.
With his promoter Oscar De La Hoya having contractual issues with DAZN, Ortiz Jr has attempted to relieve himself of his promotional contract, in order to sign a deal with Matchroom Boxing directly.
This has turned legal, with Ortiz Jr seeking the opportunity to become a free agent.
The court of arbitration have declared that “Ortiz may not negotiate or contract with third parties for future fights before the arbitrator addresses the parties’ dispute set forth in this action,”.
Fight fans will see this as a massive kick in the teeth.
Jaron Ennis vs Vergil Ortiz Jr was and still is a fight that the public are desperate for.
With ZUFFA Boxing and Dana White making serious disruptions in the sport, these are the fights that the established promoters need to make to remain competitive.
Want to get the latest boxing news direct to your phone? Join our WhatsApp community by clicking here.
