By Jim Calfa: Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis says welterweight contender Vergil Ortiz Jr needs to get “himself healthy” after fainting on Wednesday from what his promoter Oscar De La Hoya says was “dehydration” and “fatigue” while trying to get down to the 147-lb limit for a fight against WBA ‘regular’ champion Eimantas Stanionis on Saturday.
Ortiz Jr (19-0, 19 KOs) was taken to the hospital, and his title challenge against Stanionis has now been canceled.
Instead of rescheduling the fight, Ortiz Jr will now be moving up to 154, which makes sense because it would have been too risky to postpone the contest for a third time.
Boots Ennis (30-0, 27 KOs) says he’d like to fight Stanionis (14-0, 9 KOs) for his WBA title after he handles his business against #2 IBF Roiman Villa (26-1, 24 KOs) this Saturday night at the Ballroom, Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Many boxing fans on social media after recommending that Vergil Ortiz Jr retire from the sport, as he keeps having physical issues trying to make it through training camps. They feel that the 25-year-old Ortiz Jr’s health is too fragile for him to compete in the sport.
It’s fair to say that if Vergil continues to experience fainting & weakness after moving up to 154, he might need to consider hanging up his glove. Obviously, he’ll keep trying and likely would move to 160, hoping that solves his problem, but it could be that he’s not designed to lose weight.
“I feel like he should just focus on himself and get himself healthy and then worry about fighting again,” said Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis to Fight Hub TV, reacting to Vergil Ortiz Jr fainting, being hospitalized, and pulling out of his fight against Eimantas Stanionis.
We’ll soon see if moving up to 154 will control Vergil’s problem because if it doesn’t, Golden Boy are going to be upset. Does Ortiz have the frame to move to 160? He’s a killer at 147, but his power might not carry to 154 or especially at 160, where a lot of big punchers.
“Definitely, but I got business to handle on Saturday night. After I handle my business, then we can talk about fighting that guy. Right now, my main focus is Villa,” said Boots Ennis when asked if he’d be interested in challenging Stanionis for his WBA ‘regular’ welterweight title.
“He’s a calm fighter, but I respect him too, but on Saturday night, no respect. I’m going to go out there and be me and dominate him. I’ll take a picture with him after I win,” said Ennis when told that his opponent Roiman Villa got upset because he wouldn’t take a picture with him.
Boots Ennis has got a tough fight on his hands going up against the monstrous puncher Roiman Villa this Saturday, July 8th, on Showtime. It’s not going to be a walk in the park for Boots because Villa won’t run from him like his last opponent Karen Chukhadzhian did last January, and he’s a murderous body-puncher.
“Training camp went great. I feel phenomenal and I’m ready to shine, put on a show and have fun and do everything I need to do. I’m on weight right now as we speak,” said Ennis.
“I’d love an opportunity to fight those guys. It would be fun, and I’d be able to showcase my skills and ability and do my thing and come out victorious,” said Ennis on whether he’s looking forward to fighting Errol Spence Jr and Terence Crawford.
“That fight between those two is a 50-50 fight. It’s going to be a great fight. It’s going to come down to whoever is the meanest and whoever is going to be locked in, focused, and ready to take those belts from each other. We’ll see on fight night,” said Ennis on who wins the Spence vs. Crawford fight.
