Vergil Ortiz still has a fight date despite the fallout in his latest targeted high-profile matchup.

A mouthwatering showdown versus Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis died at the negotiating table. Confusion over the weight at which the fight would take place ultimately killed the fight, although it is Ortiz (22-0, 21 knockouts) who will remain on the planned Feb. 22 Riyadh Season event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“I’ve always said I’ll fight anybody and I remained true to my word,” Ortiz stated on social media. “Every single person that I have been offered to fight I said yes. It takes 2 to tango in boxing, so if I’m not in that ring fighting someone, know it’s not my fault!

“Time for some of you guys to stop saying I’m ducking and don’t wanna fight because that’s not the case this time and never was [one-hundred percent].”

Ortiz is The Ring No. 5 junior middleweight and holds the interim WBC title at that weight. Philadelphia’s Ennis (33-0, 29 KOs) is The Ring No. 1 welterweight and the current IBF titlist.

Both sides were reportedly on board with the fight, though assumed by Ortiz and Golden Boy Promotions to take place at 154. Eddie Hearn, Ennis’ promoter and chairman of Matchroom Boxing, told Boxing News’ Andi Purewal that their side was told the fight would come at the welterweight limit.

Ortiz has not made 147 since an Aug. 2022 knockout win over Michael McKinson (26-2, 4 KOs). That fight was postponed from its original March 2022 date after Ortiz withdrew during fight week when he was hospitalized and treated for rhabdomyolysis. The same ailments saw the unbeaten Grand Prairie, Texas native twice bow out of a planned mandatory challenge of Eimantas Stanionis’ WBA ‘World’ welterweight title.

Three wins have since followed for Ortiz since his move up to 154, all taking place in 2024. His latest win was a twelve-round, majority decision over Serhii Bohachuk (24-2, 23 KOs), The Ring No. 6-rated junior middleweight on Aug. 11 in Las Vegas. Ortiz survived two knockdowns to earn the interim WBC 154-pound title in their Fight of the Year contender.

Ennis has made two successful defenses of his IBF welterweight title since he was upgraded to full titleholder last November.

Both of his title-retaining efforts came in his Philadelphia hometown and in 2024. His most recent victory was a repeat unanimous decision victory over Ukraine’s Karen Chukhadzhian (24-3, 13 KOs) on Nov. 9 at Wells Fargo Arena. Ennis won by scores 116-110, 117-109 and 119-107 but put forth a disappointing effort. The undefeated 27-year-old admitted post-fight that a move up the scale was likely in store for 2025 and acknowledged the possibility of an already floated showdown versus Ortiz.

However, news of such a fight gaining any traction at the negotiating table occurred allegedly without his consent.

“I seen the rumors on social media just like [y’all] did as far as the fight with me and [Ortiz],” Ennis said in a statement posted on his Instagram and X channels. “I was unaware that alleged negotiations was being made on my end.

“From here on out if it didn’t come from ME and ME only, don’t believe it. I will address if I’m staying at [147] or moving up to [154] at a later date and time.”

Where that opportunity will land for Ennis remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, Ortiz has assurances of his place on the planned blockbuster card in February.

“You will have great fight,” replied Turki Alalshikh, chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority which organizes and funds the Riyadh Season events.