I know what you’re thinking: another day, another article about a Jaron “Boots” Ennis Vs. Vergil Ortiz fight. But this fight IS the hottest, most demanded, and talked about fight in the sport right now, and fans everywhere want to see it, are desperate to see it, and have an opinion on which fighter wins if we do see it.
Ennis Making the Louder Noise
As for Ennis, he does seem to be making more noise about wanting the fight than is Ortiz, which is not to suggest for one second that proven warrior Ortiz is at all afraid of Ennis or that he does not want to fight him. It’s just that “Boots” is banging the drum way harder than Ortiz is, and this is after just one fight up at 154 pounds.
Not only does Ennis, 35-0(31) crave the Ortiz fight, he is also certain he wins the fight. Not only that, but the Philly fighter says he is the best fighter in the world and that a win over Ortiz, 24-0(22) would prove it. “Boots,” says he, “is ready to shut everybody up.”
“It’s no more talking,” Ennis said to The Ring on the subject of a fight between he and Ortiz being made and next. “Hopefully, they sign them papers and make this fight happen, cuz I feel like this is the biggest fight in boxing. And like I said, I’m about to show the world why I’m the best in the world. The time is now. We’re both in our primes. Everybody wanna see it. I’m about to shut up all the haters. And it’s time to have fun, man. I’m about to take over this division, straight like that.”
Lessons From Fights We Never Got
It cannot be stressed how much of a bad blow, how much of a crushing disappointment it would be if we missed out on this fight. Over the years, there have been can’t-miss, must-happen fights that, well, we missed, and they didn’t happen, and we will always regret it, as will the two fighters who could’ve, would’ve, and should’ve fought – think, for example, Lennox Lewis-Riddick Bowe, Yuriorkis Gamboa-Juan Manuel Lopez, Mike Tyson-George Foreman, Deontay Wilder-Anthony Joshua (there’s still time for this one!), Erik Morales-Juan Manuel Marquez, and more.
Ennis Vs. Ortiz, or Ortiz Vs. Ennis, if you agree with Oscar De La Hoya when he says his guy Ortiz, the A-side here, is a fight that cannot be allowed to go down the drain. Fighters rarely look to duck the massive, lucrative, career-defining fights, although of course it does happen from time to time, and no one is saying Ortiz is looking to swerve Ennis or that “Boots” is looking to march into other fights instead.
Matchroom and Golden Boy Must Deliver
It’s up to the two teams, Matchroom and Golden Boy, to make this thing a reality. And a fighter’s prime doesn’t last too long. Right now, with both men being in said prime as well as being unbeaten, there should be absolutely nothing to prevent this fight, potentially one of the biggest and best in ’54-pound history, from happening.
All we fans can do is hope.