Vergil Ortiz Jr. is planning to return at middleweight in November after spending a full year out of the ring.
Ortiz has not fought since stopping Erickson Lubin in the second round in November 2025. His manager Rick Mirigian is reportedly exploring several potential opponents for his move to 160 pounds.
The names under consideration include Jermell Charlo, WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara, Tim Tszyu and Carlos Adames.
Ortiz’s inactivity followed a promotional dispute with Golden Boy that was settled in July, while major fights at 154 pounds also failed to materialize. A move to middleweight would give Ortiz new options after struggling to secure bouts with leading names such as Jaron Ennis and Sebastian Fundora.
Yoenli Hernandez has also been mentioned as another possible opponent, but no fight has been finalized.
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