Mike Coppinger reports that Vergil Ortiz Jr. is targeting Jermell Charlo for a middleweight fight that may take place November 14 in Texas. Talks will continue this week. If no agreement is reached, Ortiz Jr. will move to Tim Tszyu and then WBA champion Erislandy Lara, in that order.
Making the 36-year-old Charlo the primary choice makes little sense inside the ring. He has not fought since his lopsided loss to Canelo Alvarez in September 2023. His last victory came against Brian Castano in May 2022. He is not ranked at 160 pounds by any of the four major sanctioning organizations.
Charlo still possesses name recognition because casual viewers remember his undisputed run at 154 pounds. Golden Boy can use that past reputation to market a pay-per-view card despite his long layoff and complete lack of standing in the division.
That strategy carries the risk of another delay. After three years away, nobody knows if Charlo can complete a grueling training camp. Ortiz Jr. may lose more valuable time if negotiations fail or Charlo withdraws during camp.
This pursuit supports the criticism surrounding Ortiz Jr.’s opponent selection. Instead of testing himself against an active, ranked middleweight contender, he is chasing an inactive former champion. The matchup offers promotional hype without genuine competitive merit.
Vergil Ortiz’s Big-Name Search Stalls His Career
Vergil Ortiz Jr. has fallen into the same trap that stalls many recognizable fighters. After building his name, the 28-year-old is concentrating on popular opponents while a nine-month absence continues to eat into his prime.
His last fight came in November 2025, when he stopped Erickson Lubin in the second round. Jaron Ennis, Sebastian Fundora, Jermell Charlo, Tim Tszyu, and Xander Zayas have since dominated the discussion, but none is available for Ortiz Jr.’s next bout.
“We’ve mentioned every single name, from 154 to 160. For some reason, everyone is avoiding Vergil,” Robert Garcia told Francisco A. Salazar. “Boots says he prefers to unify, which we all know the biggest fight at 154 for Boots. But if he thinks that fighting for a unification is bigger, then that’s up to him too. We can’t force him. If we go after the WBC, which is Fundora, he has a fight lined up. Then after that fight, what if Boots wants to fight for undisputed? Then we have to wait another year. So we don’t want to wait. We’ve got to move on.”
A promotional dispute with Golden Boy consumed the first half of 2026 before the sides reached a settlement in July. That explains part of the delay.
Moving to middleweight has become the fallback, though that division offers few commercially recognizable opponents. Garcia said Charlo was declining the fight, while no agreement exists with Tszyu. Lara provides a title option, but his name is unlikely to generate the attention Ortiz Jr.’s team has been seeking.
The trainer left the next move with manager Rick Mirigian and Golden Boy Promotions. Their problem will remain the same at either weight unless the selection criteria change.
Not every fight needs to involve a major name. Ortiz Jr. is young enough to stay active, defeat credible opposition, and wait for a larger opportunity. Limiting the search to Ennis, Fundora, Charlo, and Tszyu only gives those fighters control over his career.
Garcia’s frustration is understandable, but unavailable opponents do not fully explain why Ortiz Jr. remains idle. He needs to choose a division and face the best fighter willing to accept. Another prolonged wait will hurt him more than meeting a capable opponent without a large following.