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Jaron Ennis Promises Vergil Ortiz Will Pay For Manager, Promoter 'Talkin' Crazy'
Ring Magazine
FEATURED ARTICLE
Keith Idec
Keith Idec
RingMagazine.com
Jaron Ennis Promises Vergil Ortiz Will Pay For Manager, Promoter 'Talkin' Crazy'
Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Jaron “Boots” Ennis wasted no time whatsoever Saturday night to start promoting one of boxing's most highly anticipated fights.

Ortiz called Ennis into the ring during his post-fight interview with DAZN’s Chris Mannix after an impressive second-round knockout of Erickson Lubin at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas. The rivals good-naturedly talked trash and assured the boxing world that they will finally fight next.

Ennis even half-jokingly called for his promoter, Eddie Hearn, to bring paperwork to him as he stood face to face with Ortiz.

“This is the best fight in boxing,” Ennis said. “I think he done a great job. He looked good, but Imma show the world why I’m the best in the world and Imma show his team – they been talkin’ all crazy. They been talkin’ crazy, Imma back it up and show the world why I’m the best in the world.”




DAZN executives would prefer Ennis-Ortiz to take place February 28 in Las Vegas. Neither fighter has signed a contract, however, thus Hearn and Oscar De La Hoya, Ortiz’s promoter, have plenty of work to do in the coming weeks to make that a reality.

Ortiz (24-0, 22 KOs), of Grand Prairie, Texas, is The Ring’s top-rated contender for its vacant junior middleweight championship. Ennis entered the top 10 at No. 7 following his first-round demolition of Angolan underdog Uisma Lima (14-2, 10 KOs) on October 11 in his hometown of Philadelphia.

Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs, 1 NC) held The Ring, IBF and WBA welterweight titles after his six-round domination of Eimantas Stanionis on April 12 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He announced in June, though, that he had too much difficulty making weight to remain in the 147-pound division.

Rankings aside, Ennis-Ortiz is one of the fights fans most want to see.

“I think this is the fight that has to happen, man,” Ortiz said to Ennis. “I think this is it.”

A smiling Ennis promised Ortiz he would hold him accountable in the ring for comments made by members of Ortiz’s team.

“Your manager [Rick Mirigian] talkin’ all crazy, Oscar talkin’ crazy,” Ennis said, “and Imma make you pay for everything they saying. I guarantee you and we can bet whatever. I guarantee you.”

Ortiz insisted his handlers only began talking about Ennis after Derek “Bozy” Ennis, Jaron’s father and trainer, stated during an interview that Ortiz was “ducking” his son.




“We started talking after you guys started talking,” Ortiz said. “It’s retaliation. It’s retaliation.”

Fans, media and Ortiz criticized Ennis for taking a tune-up fight in his junior middleweight debut rather than opposing Ortiz right away. DraftKings listed Ennis as a 30-1 favorite over Lima, whom he dropped twice and stopped just 1:58 into the first round.

“It don’t matter,” Ennis said. “The time is now. It’s that time to see this money and let’s make this fight happen.”

Ennis praised Ortiz for handling Lubin (27-3, 19 KOs) so swiftly, but he promised the aggressive knockout artist that their fight would unfold far differently.

“You a great fighter, you looked tremendous,” Ennis said, “but Imma show the world I’m the best in the world. I got something for you.”

Keith Idec is a senior writer and columnist for The Ring. He can be reached on X @idecboxing.
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