Trainer Stephen Edwards says Jaron “Boots” Ennis is a bad matchup for Vergil Ortiz Jr. He sees this fight as a complete mismatch in favor of WBA interim 154-pound champion Ennis (35-0, 31 KO) when the two meet in 2026.
The mean streak behind the smile
Stephen says he has observed that 28-year-old Ennis has a balmy streak and likes to hurt his opponents. He’s a born killer. On the ponderous, easy-to-hit Vergil Ortiz Jr. Edwards says it “doesn’t fit him.”
The inevitable towels of mercy
Edwards claims that interim WBC junior middleweight champion Ortiz Jr. (23-0, 21 KO) has too many flaws in his game, leaving him at the mercy of Ennis. He predicts cornerback Vergil Jr. will throw in the towel sometime between “six and eight.”
Ennis is coming off a first-round knockout victory over challenger Uisma Lima in his 154 debut on Oct. 11, 2025, in Philadelphia. The way “Boots” destroyed Lima makes it strenuous to believe that anyone at junior middleweight would be able to counter his offensive firepower. Edwards rates Ennis as the No. 1 fighter at 154 after just one fight in the division.
Break in the turn expected early
“He’s a mean, mean kid. I think he likes to hit people, but it just doesn’t work out that way. I think there’s going to be a corner break between six and eight. They’re going to say, ‘Man, it’s not worth it,'” coach Stephen Edwards said. YSM sports mediapredicting Jaron “Boots” Ennis’ victory over Vergil Ortiz Jr. in 2026
When you listen to Ennis speak, he sounds like everyone else, but he doesn’t come across as someone who struggles or enjoys it. In a way, he almost sounds like a nerd, like someone who’s more interested in solving impossible math problems.
“I think ‘Boots’ is inappropriate for Vergil. I think the way he holds his hands, the way he tries to throw everything strenuous. “‘Boots’ is too talented, too forceful, hits too strenuous, too edgy, too dominant, too forceful in the body and too good at trading punches,” Edwards said.
The fight is still undecided and there are questions about whether Golden Boy Promotions wants to guillotine adolescent Vergil Jr., Ennis. If they don’t believe Ortiz Jr. can win, it is unlikely that they will finish this fight unless a huge sum of money is at stake.
Tom Galm has been covering the global boxing scene since 2014, specializing in heavyweight analysis, business trends and fighter psychology.
The star fighter, who has made an astonishing 15 defenses of his welterweight world title, supported himself in a fantastic showdown with Terence Crawford.
He had previously won seven straight 147-pound world titles, all through stoppages, but he could only cement his position as top dog by dethroning Spence.
Not only did he defeat “The Truth” and win his three world titles, but Crawford secured a surprisingly one-sided defeat over nine rounds.
After that career-defining moment, the American became the undisputed three-division champion, moving up to 168 pounds to dethrone Canelo Alvarez.
However, at welterweight, Crawford managed to produce some of his best performances, perhaps striking the perfect balance between being vigorous and impressively fit.
Another man who has had considerable success at 147 pounds is, of course, Felix Trinidad, who reigned as the IBF world champion for almost seven years.
Two of his greatest victories came against Oscar De La Hoya and Pernell Whitaker, who both went on to create Hall of Fame careers in their own right.
It is therefore natural that “Tito” sees his chances in a direct fight with Crawford, saying: Fighting Hub TV that he would give “Bud” his only professional flaw.
“With all due respect to Crawford…Tito Trinidad – I will win.”
While no fighter has been able to answer Crawford’s mystery, it is equally safe and sound to say that the former five-division world champion has never faced someone like Trinidad.
Raizd announced the deal on Instagram on Monday, posting: “Official: Robeisy ‘El Tren’ Ramirez signs with RAIZD BOXING. World-class addition. Former WBO World Featherweight Champion. Two-time Olympic gold medalist. Welcome to the team, Robeisy.”
For a startup that is still building its name, this is a robust impulse. For everyone else, it encourages questions. There has been no evident move from Zuffa Boxing, Matchroom Boxing, Golden Boy Promotions or other major teams that often pursue recognizable talent.
When a two-time Gold Medalist hits the open market and the Massive Four don’t pull the trigger. Raizd Boxing is basically a ghost ship right now. They are so modern that they haven’t even held their first event yet.
As for why the giants have stayed away, it probably comes down to a combination of time, shelf life and the ongoing business changes many of these companies are making.
At 126 pounds, 32 is on the older side. Promoters are notoriously wary of small-time fighters who have just had a career-changing break. Perhaps they would prefer to wait and see if he has anything left before signing him to an high-priced multi-fight contract.
While Dana White is finally taking action, Zuffa is aggressively targeting younger, buzz-worthy talent like Edgar Berlanga and Richardson Hitchins. Ramirez is 32 years aged and had a brutal knockout loss to Rafael Espinoza in December. Zuffa could see him as a veteran of damaged goods rather than a fundamental piece of their launch.
Ramirez may not have the same shine he had when he fled Cuba or when he beat Shakur Stevenson in the amateurs, but fighters with that kind of experience rarely hit the open market.
His recent form likely played a role. Ramirez is 14-3 with nine knockouts and has lost two of his last three fights, with both losses coming to Rafael Espinoza, including a stoppage in the rematch. At 32 years aged, he is no longer a long-term project that can be slowly developed.
Still, there is a clear advantage if handled properly. Ramirez remains a talented southpaw with the pedigree, experience and enough reputational value to quickly become relevant again at featherweight or above. If it combines wins, larger promoters may regret letting startup Raizd make the first move.
This marks the 27-year-old’s first victory since 2023, when he edged Oscar Duarte in the eighth round before his controversial fight with Devin Haney.
Despite a majority decision advantage over Haney, that result was declared a no-contest in April 2024 after “King Ry” tested positive for the banned substance ostarine.
Benn also failed a 2022 drug test ahead of his canceled fight against Chris Eubank Jr, whom he ultimately defeated in a middleweight rematch last November.
This followed a points defeat to Eubank in April 2025, although earlier this month Benn remained in the win column, ahead of Regis Prograis, who subsequently announced his retirement.
However, despite his last fight at 150 pounds, the 29-year-old now wants to capitalize on his No. 1 ranking in the WBC and fight Garcia.
I’m talking to ESNEWSformer two-division world champion Bradley gave Benn little more than a prayer against Garcia.
“Ryan knocks him out.”
As the top contender for the WBC welterweight title, Benn is expected to be ordered to fight Garcia in the not-too-distant future, even if ongoing negotiations fail.
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