Vergil Ortiz Jr. nears potential December fight against Keith Thurman

Negotiations are underway for Vergil Ortiz Jr. to face Keith Thurman, potentially on a December 12 boxing card in Arizona headlined by David Benavidez. Oscar De La Hoya of Golden Boy Promotions indicated that while the deal is not yet finalized, the matchup is being worked out to ensure Ortiz remains active.

De La Hoya noted that Thurman is being pursued as an alternative following stalled negotiations with Jaron Ennis. While Ennis was a preferred opponent, De La Hoya stated, “we can’t keep our fighter idle for so long,” citing disagreements over money and outside involvement in the Ennis discussions.

Thurman, 37, is coming off a stoppage loss to Sebastian Fundora. The matchup is viewed as a strategic move to keep Ortiz active and utilize Thurman’s recognizable name to promote the December event, even if the fight does not offer the same divisional ranking implications as a bout with Ennis.