Robert Garcia Accuses Boots Ennis of Avoiding Vergil Ortiz Jr

Robert Garcia has accused Jaron “Boots” Ennis of avoiding a fight with Vergil Ortiz Jr. by pursuing world-title unifications at junior middleweight. Garcia believes Ennis is choosing championship progress over a bout with Ortiz, who does not currently hold a belt.

Garcia says Ortiz is ready to meet Ennis and has asked Golden Boy to pursue the contest. Ortiz’s team has indicated that it could make the fight in November, giving Ennis the chance to face him before continuing his push towards an undisputed junior-middleweight championship.

Ennis is building his position in the division by targeting champions. A victory over Ortiz would likely create a larger attraction than several title fights, but it would not take Ennis closer to collecting all four belts. Josh Kelly represents a more direct route to another championship and remains the opponent Garcia believes Ennis is now pursuing instead.

Ortiz lost important time during a promotional dispute, while Ennis stayed active and moved ahead of him. Ortiz was unavailable when their rivalry had the opportunity to develop, and Ennis is not obliged to reshape his career around a dangerous challenger who brings no title into the fight.

Garcia’s criticism is also an effort to increase pressure on Ennis and persuade supporters that Ortiz deserves priority before the unification campaign continues. Ortiz needs to rebuild his standing at 154 pounds, either by winning a world title or by earning a mandatory position, if he is to gain stronger leverage for the bout.

The matchup would still carry significant sporting danger for Ennis. Ortiz applies sustained pressure, attacks the body and is willing to exchange at close range. Those qualities could test defensive weaknesses exposed by Xander Zayas. Garcia believes Ortiz would stop Ennis after hurting him, but the risk involved has not changed Ennis’s stated championship priorities. Ortiz is active again, although a move to middleweight would end the possibility of the fight at junior middleweight.