Trainer Robert Garcia has accused Jaron Ennis and promoter Eddie Hearn of avoiding a fight with Vergil Ortiz Jr. as Ennis instead pursues a unification bout with IBF super welterweight champion Josh Kelly.
Ennis became a two-division unified champion in June by stopping Xander Zayas in the seventh round to win the WBO and WBA titles at 154 pounds. He has since made clear that he wants to collect the remaining belts in the division.
Kelly has emerged as a likely next opponent after winning the IBF title from Bakhram Murtazaliev in January and successfully defending it against Caoimhin Agyarko last month.
Garcia, however, believes Ennis vs. Ortiz is the biggest fight available at super welterweight, even without another world title being involved.
“We were pushing for the fight against Boots,” Garcia told Fight Hub TV. “But it seems like [Team Ennis] changed their mind. They wanna unify.”
Garcia added that if Ennis and Hearn are using unification as the reason not to face Ortiz, he views that as an attempt to avoid the matchup.
“I think Boots vs Vergil is the biggest fight at 154,” Garcia said. “So if Boots is using that excuse, and Eddie Hearn is also using that excuse, that means you’re trying to avoid a fight with Vergil.”
Ortiz has not fought since stopping Erickson Lubin in two rounds last November, while reports have also suggested he could move up to middleweight if the Ennis fight does not materialize.
Image Credit: PBC