Big Fight, Bigger Price: Why Ortiz–Ennis Is Still Waiting

Trainer Robert Garcia remains confident that a deal will eventually come together for Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Jaron Ennis, even as talks continue to stall over money.

Garcia believes the fight is too significant to disappear and expects both sides to keep pushing until numbers align. In his view, neither fighter is willing to accept a reduced split for what he sees as a premier bout.

Garcia argues that Ortiz and Ennis deserve to be paid at a high level and should not be expected to meet in the middle for a cut rate deal. He has described the matchup as one of the biggest possible fights of 2026 and maintains that it will happen once promoters and managers settle on terms.

That position has not landed cleanly with fans.

Neither Ortiz nor Ennis currently holds a full world title. Both are widely respected talents, but neither has beaten a long list of elite names at the highest level. Reports have suggested each fighter is seeking purses in the range of eight figures. That figure has drawn skepticism given where they stand in their careers.

Former champion Tim Bradley has openly questioned whether either man has reached the point where that type of payday is justified. Interim status and strong reputations have not always translated into that level of leverage.

Ortiz’s most notable recent win came against Israil Madrimov, a fight that did little to silence doubts. Madrimov entered the bout after dealing with illness, and Ortiz struggled to impose himself cleanly across the fight. The win counted. The impression lingered.

If negotiations collapse, Ortiz appears to have other paths. Names like Jermell Charlo and Errol Spence Jr. continue to circulate as possible alternatives. Both are established figures, but both are well into their thirties and have been largely inactive at the top level. That direction would offer visibility, but it would not answer questions about Ortiz’s standing among his peers.

Ennis’s fallback options are less clear. Without Ortiz, there is no obvious replacement.

For now, the situation remains unchanged. Everyone involved says the fight is wanted. Everyone involved says the price must be right. Until one side blinks, the bout stays exactly where it has been for months. On paper, it looks like a must. In practice, it is still waiting for someone to decide that proving it is worth more than protecting position.