Vergil Ortiz Jr. moves to middleweight after failed Ennis fight

Vergil Ortiz Jr. is moving from the super welterweight division to middleweight following the collapse of negotiations for a fight against Jaron Ennis. Despite Ennis accepting a lopsided 60/40 purse split favoring Ortiz, the matchup failed to materialize.

Promoter Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions had set the terms earlier this year, but the fight was further delayed by a breach of contract lawsuit against Golden Boy that was not settled until July. During this period, Ennis secured two unified titles after defeating Xander Zayas in a bout that drew 15,000 fans to the Barclays Center.

As Ortiz transitions to middleweight, his team is reportedly pursuing fighters such as Jermell Charlo or Tim Tszyu. However, both potential opponents have expressed interest in fighting each other, which may impact Ortiz’s ability to secure a marquee opponent at the new weight class.