Former undisputed champion offers to face Jaron Ennis or Vergil Ortiz as talks break down
Ahead of the 2026 calendar, a fight between Jaron Ennis and Vergil Ortiz was at the top of most of the boxing community’s wish list. With talks for the contest taking a turn for the worse, a former undisputed champion offered to step in and face either man.
Regardless of the fact that neither Ennis nor Ortiz hold a world title, a potential meeting between the undefeated super welterweight duo constitutes one of the most sought-after contests in the sport.
Still, negotiations for the fight have struggled to progress, with both teams threatening to seek alternative opponents if a deal cannot be reached soon, despite their schedules aligning with an April showdown.
This weekend, Ortiz filed a lawsuit against his own promotional company, Oscar De La Hoya’s “Golden Boy Promotions,” saying his team may not be as enthusiastic as he was for the Ennis fight and was putting the matchup in jeopardy.
De La Hoya has since reaffirmed his position and dismissed suggestions that Ortiz could be released from his contract, stating that he was simply trying to make more money for his fighter when he openly demanded a “60/40 split” in favor of Ortiz for a fight with Ennis.
However, with this argument set to continue, fans are starting to lose hope in this matter and former undisputed super welterweight champion Jermell Charlo has made it clear that he is ready to take on either man.
“Boxing is not a team sport. So the next move is always the best. I don’t know why they fuss, but I’ve always heard you do something right when the other team starts to bicker. Division 154 is the most neglected. I’ll fix it, send me to contact ODH. [Oscar De La Hoya] or Eddie [Hearn].”
Any
— JERMELL CHARLO (@TwinCharlo) January 17, 2026
Charlo has yet to fight since a disappointing and unsuccessful challenge for Canelo Alvarez’s undisputed super middleweight title in September 2023, but “Iron Man” looks set to return to action at 154 or 160 pounds in 2026.
