Vergil Ortiz Jr. did more than just retain his interim WBC Super Welterweight title on Saturday night; he sent a chilling message to the entire 154-pound division with a brutal, second-round TKO of Erickson Lubin (27-3). The victory was quick, decisive, and instantly shifted the focus to the fight boxing fans have been demanding for years: a showdown with undefeated star Jaron “Boots” Ennis.
Ortiz (24-0, 22 KOs) wasted no time addressing the inevitability of the matchup. With Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs, 1 NC) watching from ringside, the two exchanged words on the broadcast, culminating in a firm agreement to fight next. “This is the fight that has to happen,” Ortiz told DAZN‘s Chris Mannix, before Ennis affirmed his commitment to the early 2026 clash.
OMGGG!!! VERGILLLLL!!!! 😱
Vergil Ortiz Jr. STOPS Erickson Lubin in round 2!#OrtizLubin | Live NOW on DAZN ▪️ pic.twitter.com/zda2DLLelU
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) November 9, 2025
The Frustration of Modern Boxing
Yet, for many observers, the in-ring exchange was a stark reminder of the chronic frustration plaguing modern boxing: the fight that has to happen almost never happens on time.
Both men have been rising stars, dominating the welterweight division simultaneously, leading to years of back-and-forth speculation, accusations of “ducking,” and delayed negotiations.
- Finger-Pointing: Ortiz’s camp has previously insisted they said “yes” to a fight offer, blaming Ennis’ team for the hold-up. Conversely, Ennis has been criticized for taking a low-risk tune-up fight at 154 pounds last month instead of jumping straight into a mega-fight with Ortiz.
- A Different Era: The two fighters are in their primes, both undefeated, both with world-class skill and staggering knockout ratios. In boxing’s golden eras, a matchup of this magnitude would likely have happened two or three times already, defining a division. Instead, the fight was put on ice while promotional disagreements, network alignments, and risk aversion took priority.
The pattern is all too familiar to fans of the sport—mega-fights are often stewed for years, sometimes only happening when one fighter is past his best.
𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗪𝗘 𝗚𝗢 🍿
Jaron "Boots" Ennis vs. Vergil Ortiz Jr.#OrtizLubin pic.twitter.com/YrV8Hax1Wv
— DAZN Boxing (@DAZNBoxing) November 9, 2025
The spectacular nature of Ortiz’s destruction of Lubin, however, has finally created an undeniable momentum. The question is no longer if they will fight, but whether the promotional and contractual barriers that delayed it for so long will ultimately be cleared for the proposed early 2026 date in Las Vegas.
For now, the boxing world is holding its breath, hoping the ringside handshake is a binding contract, not just another delayed promise.
