# Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Keith Thurman fight negotiations

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/vergil-ortiz-jr-and-keith-thurman-fight-negotiations
> Updated: 2026-10-10T21:20:56.000Z. Sources: 3. Developments: 2.

Negotiations are progressing for a potential boxing match between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Keith Thurman, likely to take place in December in Arizona. The bout is being discussed as part of a card headlined by David Benavidez, with proposed dates of December 5 or December 12.

Golden Boy Promotions’ Oscar De La Hoya indicated that Thurman is being pursued as an alternative to Jaron Ennis, following stalled negotiations with Ennis due to disagreements over money and outside involvement. De La Hoya stated, “we can’t keep our fighter idle for so long.”

Ortiz’s trainer, Robert Garcia, emphasized that prioritizing activity is essential to avoid further delays that could push Ortiz’s return into next year. While Keith Thurman has not yet received a formal contract, he indicated that a full agreement feels close.

## Claims

- The potential Ortiz vs. Thurman fight is being discussed for the David Benavidez undercard in Arizona. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Trainer Robert Garcia is prioritizing Vergil Ortiz Jr.’s return to the ring over finding a high-prestige opponent. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Vergil Ortiz Jr. will have been inactive for approximately 13 months following his November 2025 fight against Erickson Lubin. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Keith Thurman believes a full agreement is close for a fight against Vergil Ortiz Jr. (single source)
- Thurman has not yet received a formal contract for the proposed bout. (single source)
- The proposed dates for the fight are December 5th or December 12th. (single source)
- Keith Thurman stated that Vergil Ortiz Jr. possesses more punching power than Sebastian Fundora. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-10: Vergil Ortiz Jr. targets December return against Keith Thurman

Vergil Ortiz Jr. is targeting a December return against Keith Thurman on the David Benavidez undercard to end a 13-month period of inactivity.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vergil-ortiz-jr-targets-december-return-against-keith-thurman

### 2026-10-05: Vergil Ortiz Jr. nears potential December fight against Keith Thurman

Vergil Ortiz Jr. is nearing a potential December 12 fight against Keith Thurman on the David Benavidez card as negotiations with Jaron Ennis remain unresolved.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vergil-ortiz-jr-nears-potential-december-fight-against-keith-thurman

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Cite as: Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Keith Thurman fight negotiations. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/vergil-ortiz-jr-and-keith-thurman-fight-negotiations