Boxing
Leverage forces Ennis Ortiz to reach April deal
Published
3 months agoon
The update was the clearest sign yet that months of public negotiations, legal tensions and posturing had finally given way to an agreement.
The date is not accidental. For much of the past three months, the fight has been waged in theory while alternatives have been publicly presented. Ortiz’s team insisted on A-team status. Other options were referred to. The rhetoric was clamorous. There was minimal traffic.
What has changed is not sentiment. It was leverage.
Why the conversations suddenly changed
Multiple industry reports, later expanded by BoxingScene writer Jake Donovan, made it clear that DAZN had no interest in financing any fight by either fighter that did not include the other. As this position hardened, the negotiating space quickly narrowed. There was no longer a credible financial exit ramp.
This reality coincided with instability elsewhere. Golden Boy Promotions was nearing the end of its existing contract with DAZN. Ortiz was involved in a lawsuit seeking to invalidate his endorsement contract, alleging breach and interference. This combination left little room for risky maneuvers. Whatever leverage existed on paper was no longer supported by a willing platform.
From that moment on, fighting ceased to be a debate and became a necessity.
Ennis made his intentions known last fall, traveling to Fort Worth to watch Ortiz win over Erickson Lubin, and immediately afterwards publicly calling for a fight. The enthusiasm was real, but enthusiasm alone did not move the negotiations. Progress only came when financial alternatives disappeared.
This order is critical. This redefines the fight not as a triumph of ambition or fan demands, but as an example of how newfangled boxing power actually works. In 2026, A-side status will no longer be something a promoter can declare. It only exists if the broadcaster is willing to finance it.
Donovan’s reports filled in the connective tissue around this reality. His account detailed the halt in talks, the tough agreements adopted at the beginning and the peaceful change when it became clear there was no appetite for substitutes. The climbs were consistent. Once the platform’s position was understood, resistance weakened.
If the fight ends this week, it will be accepted for sporting reasons. Ennis vs Ortiz is a fight the division has been talking about for years. But it will also be a reminder that the fight occurred not because all sides suddenly agreed, but because the economic environment eliminated every other option.
Ultimately, the ego did not put up this fight. Reality did.
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“Well, again, I don’t know what his financial situation is. He earned a lot of money from us. But, you know, he lives in Ukraine and there are a lot of problems there, maybe he needs money, or maybe he just wants to get away from home,” Arum said in an interview with Fighthype.
Arum’s comments drew attention because promoters rarely speculate publicly on whether a returning fighter might be financially motivated. Lomachenko hasn’t fought since stopping George Kambosos Jr. in May 2024. in the fight for the IBF lightweight title, and then left boxing.
The former three-division world champion is now 38 years venerable and has shown signs of decline in the later stages of his lightweight career. Losses to Teofimo Lopez and Devin Haney, as well as a complex stretch at 135 pounds, have raised questions about how much Lomachenko has left in his long absence from the ring.
Arum admitted he doesn’t know what version of Lomachenko will return if the comeback continues.
“I don’t know what, if anything, Lomachenko has lost after his two-year retirement. So it would be wrong to hypothesize how he would fare against all these younger guys. We’ll just have to see,” Arum said.
The interviewer asked Arum if Lomachenko would still be able to compete with younger names like Shakur Stevenson, Abdullah Mason and Raymond Muratalla, but Arum avoided making predictions.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the return, Arum continued to praise Lomachenko as one of the best fighters promoted by Top Rank during his career with the company.
“Loma represents the best of boxing. So I wish him all the best because he has been a great fighter for us and he truly embodies the best of boxing,” Arum said.

Robert Segal is a boxing reporter at Boxing News 24 with over a decade of experience covering fight news, previews and analysis. Known for his first-hand reporting and in-ring perspective, he delivers trustworthy coverage of champions, challengers and emerging talent from around the world.
The Dubois family has already produced two world champions. Now another name is starting to attract attention in British boxing.
Daniel Dubois and sister Caroline turned the family name into one of the most celebrated names in British boxing, but now a different Dubois is quietly emerging from the amateur ranks.
According to many, including Stanley’s father, Solomon Dubois may finally become the best of them all.
Another Dubois appears
The 13-year-old turned heads at national tournaments as he developed under the Dubois umbrella. Stanley, the man who helped shape Daniel and Caroline into world champions, is overseeing his second son’s progress.
Daniel himself has publicly endorsed Solomon to one day become a major force in the sport as the youngest member of the fighting family continues his rise.
This naturally creates expectations.
Over the years, a lot has been written and said about the Dubois family, but not all of it was positive. Family feuds, public disagreements, pressure and media attention have followed the name for much of Daniel and Caroline’s career.
Fresh chapter
However, in Solomon’s case, there is already a feeling that boxing could be the beginning of a fresh chapter.
As Daniel and Caroline gradually enter the final stages of their careers, Solomon is just beginning his own journey.
The pressure is already on, but he is following in the footsteps that will be able to impart significant knowledge.
When a family has already produced two world champions, expectations arise long before title fights or professional contracts emerge.
That’s what makes Solomon’s situation so fascinating, because the noise around him isn’t the result of random social media hype designed to produce the next substantial thing.
This belief clearly exists within the family itself.
Stanley has long suggested that Solomon may naturally possess an agility and raw ability that simply cannot be taught.
The pressure comes early
At the same time, there is an obvious danger in placing too much expectation on someone so newborn.
The history of boxing is full of prospects who faced pressure before they were physically and mentally ready to handle it.
For now, Solomon remains a student learning his craft with one of the most recognizable names in British boxing.
A professional move and a likely collaboration with Frank Warren will almost certainly come later if he continues to make progress.
However, at the moment it’s simply a matter of keeping his feet on the ground as the attention around him continues to grow.
Because if the Dubois family’s beliefs prove correct, British boxing may finally discover that the most talented Dubois was the youngest all along.
About the Author
Phil Jay is the editor-in-chief of World Boxing News (WBN) and a boxing veteran with over 15 years of experience. Read the full biography.
Boxing
Keyshawn Davis vs. Nahir Albright 2 Saturday night, live on DAZN
Published
4 hours agoon
May 15, 2026
In October 2023, rising contender Keyshawn Davis entered the ring for an intense fight against Nahir Albright. In the first round of the fight, Albright used his feints and changed levels with his jab.
In the first round, Davis managed to land a well-timed right hand. Over the next few rounds, Keyshawn Davis established range and as a result, started landing his combinations.
Halfway through the 10-round fight, Davis was in complete control, consistently launching counterattacks. During the final three rounds of the fight, Albright found success in punching with his right hand.
Albright was competitive but didn’t seem to be doing enough to win rounds. At the conclusion of the 10-round contest, Davis was declared the winner by majority decision.
Two weeks later, Keyshawn Davis was confirmed to have tested positive for marijuana. Davis received a 90-day suspension and his majority victory over Nahir Albright was changed to a no-contest.
Following his match with Keyshawn Davis, Nahir Albright’s boxing career came to an end after a 19-month hiatus. In June 2025, Nahir Albright stepped back into the squared circle to face Keyshawn’s older brother, Kelvin Davis.
Albright was very aggressive as he hurt Davis in the second and fourth rounds. Albright set the pace of the fight and won a convincing victory.
After the fight ended, Keyshawn and his younger brother Keon jumped Albright backstage. According to Albright, the Davis brothers entered his locker room and Keyshawn headbutted him, leaving a lump on his right eye.
Following the incident, police escorted Keyshawn Davis from the arena. Davis was initially scheduled to headline the event, but he weighed 4.3 pounds over the legal weight limit and was stripped of his WBO world title.
After this embarrassing incident, Keyshawn Davis redeemed himself in January 2026 when he dominated Jamaine Ortiz. Now Davis is ready to take care of unfinished business on Saturday night.
Keyshawn “The Businessman” Davis didn’t look like a pro on Friday afternoon when he weighed in at 140.2 pounds. Davis stripped down to his bare essentials and weighed 140.1 pounds.
After his second failed attempt, Davis was given two hours to reach the 140-pound limit. A tiny time later, Davis returned to the scale and weighed 140 pounds.
Performance wise, Keyshawn Davis is a striking boxer who has poise, timing, a solid jab and a high ring IQ, is an elite counter puncher, has excellent punch placement and is deadly when landing body shots.
His opponent, Nahir Albright, has a quick jab, is elusive, has good footwork, uses head movement regularly, is tough and used to throwing a series of punches.
The grudge match will be held on Saturday evening, May 16, at the Scope Arena. Norfolk native Keyshawn Davis wants to make a statement to his hometown fans, but his opponent, Nahir Albright, plans to play the role of spoiler.
Sports and entertainment writer. She was born and raised in Up-to-date Orleans. He attended college at PURDUE UNIVERSITY
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