Jaron Ennis vs Vergil Ortiz Jr: Oscar De La Hoya Wants 'Biggest Fight' in 2026

Boots Ennis Just Made His Case as Boxing's Best

Jaron "Boots" Ennis didn't just win Saturday — he made a statement. A sixth-round stoppage of Xander Zayas earned him the WBA title to go with his WBO belt, officially making him a two-division unified champion at 154 pounds. That's the kind of resume line that forces the entire sport to pay attention.

Ennis has made no secret of wanting to become undisputed at super welterweight, and the path is right there in front of him. Sebastian Fundora holds the WBC strap and is expected to defend against mandatory challenger Ermal Hadribeaj later this year. Josh Kelly owns the IBF title but has to get past Caoimhin Agyarko in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, next Saturday first. Both are pieces Ennis needs to complete the puzzle.

But the Real Money Fight Just Got Unlocked

Here's the twist: the most lucrative fight for Ennis might not be about titles at all. It's Vergil Ortiz Jr.

Ennis and Ortiz were reportedly closing in on a deal earlier this year before Ortiz got tangled up in a legal dispute with his promoter, Golden Boy. That freeze put the whole thing on ice — until Friday, when both sides announced they'd reached a settlement, clearing Ortiz to get back to business.

Oscar De La Hoya wasted no time. The Golden Boy chairman posted the news himself and didn't bury the lede: "Let's make the biggest fight happen: Boots Ennis vs Vergil Ortiz this year."

Why This Fight Hits Different

Ortiz hasn't fought since blitzing Erickson Lubin in two rounds back in November, and most assumed he'd need a tune-up before jumping into anything major. De La Hoya's comments suggest Golden Boy might skip that step entirely and throw Ortiz straight into the deep end against Ennis.

That's a bold call, but it makes sense from a business standpoint. Ennis is unbeaten, technically brilliant, and now a unified titleholder with real momentum. Ortiz is one of the sport's most explosive punchers and a legitimate box-office draw in his own right. Put them in the ring together and you've got a genuine 50-50 fight with star power on both sides — exactly the kind of matchup boxing fans complain doesn't get made often enough.

What to Watch For

Nothing is signed yet, so treat this as a strong signal rather than a done deal. Keep an eye on:

• Whether Fundora-Hadribeaj and Kelly-Agyarko play out as expected, since those results shape Ennis's unification options
• Any official announcement from Golden Boy or Ennis's team on an Ortiz fight date
• Whether Ortiz takes a tune-up bout first despite De La Hoya's public push

If Ennis-Ortiz actually gets made this year, it's the kind of fight that could headline every boxing conversation through the fall.