Promoter Oscar De La Hoya said today that he wants interim WBC junior middleweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jr. to fight Terence Crawford, Sebastian Fundora, or Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis next February 22 in Riyadh.
Oscar wish list for Vergil Jr
- Jaron Ennis
- Sebastian Fundora
- Terence Crawford
De La Hoya’s first choice ‘Boots’ Ennis (33-0, 29 KOs), but it’s not certain that Matchroom promoter Eddie Hearn still wants to fight Vergil Jr. (22-0, 21 KOs) after Jaron’s lackluster performance. she had in her rematch against Karen Chukhadzhian on November 9.
“It’s one of those three. It’s one of those three,” De La Hoya said DAZN about wanting a big name for Vergil Ortiz Jr.
Oscar wants a great name for Vergil Jr
Ennis was exposed in that fight, and it would be a mistake for Hearn to put him with a killer like Vergil Ortiz Jr.
This fight showed that Boots is vulnerable and can be outboxed. Hearn might not want to risk putting him with Vergil Jr. and that he’s undoing all the hard work he’s put into trying to make a star out of him.
WBA 154-lb champion Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) is still in a holding pattern, waiting to see if Canelo Alvarez will throw him a bone by giving him a shot at their unified titles at 168. This fight is not not likely. to happen
Vergil, 26 years old, still lacks the popularity to attract fighters like Crawford, WBC, and WBO champion Fundora to want to fight. It’s too risky for them, and it would be much harder to go up against a powerful youngster like Ortiz Jr. He’s in the “Who Needs Him” club now.
In other words, Ortiz Jr. it’s more trouble than it’s worth without the Saudis stepping in to prompt Fundora, Crawford, or Boots Ennis to want to cheat with him.
If His Excellency Turki Alalshikh can help attract one of those big names, Vergil Jr. he will have an excellent opponent on February 22nd. However, without Turki’s help, De La Hoya will have to look in another direction for Vergil to face the former interim WBC 154 lb. champion. Serhii Bohachuk ithe revenge
Vergil beat Bohachuk (24-2, 23 KOs) by a controversial 12-round majority decision on August 10 in a fight many fans saw Serhii winning.
