Jaron “Boots” Ennis has vaulted to No. 1 in the WBC’s junior middleweight rankings - without yet making his official move to 154. After announcing his exit from welterweight on the heels of unifying two belts and claiming the Ring Magazine championship, Ennis now sits WBC No. 1, WBA No. 2, and WBO No. 4 following the recent update.
Ranking first doesn’t mean first dibs on Sebastian Fundora, though. The WBC’s interim belt belongs to Vergil Ortiz Jr., who edged Serhii Bohachuk for that strap last year and defended it in February against former WBA titleholder Israil Madrimov. Ennis effectively bumped Bohachuk to No. 2 as the sanctioning body reshuffled its list.
Matchroom’s Eddie Hearn says Team Ennis has agreed to face Ortiz in early 2026 - while noting Ortiz hasn’t signed. Ortiz’s father fired back on social media, insisting Vergil is on his own path and won’t be tethered to anyone’s timetable. The message: negotiations may be brewing, but nothing is close.
For Ennis, the signal is clear: the road to Fundora likely runs through Ortiz Jr. first. If “Boots” plants his flag at 154 the way he did at 147, junior middleweight’s next big fight might already be taking shape - papers and politics permitting.
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