Oscar De La Hoya and Al Haymon shared a conference table this week - and the headline item was a junior-middleweight blockbuster pitting former undisputed champion Jermell Charlo against unbeaten knockout machine Vergil Ortiz Jr. De La Hoya called the summit “exciting for the future of boxing,” confirming that Vergil-Jermell was among “various fights” both promoters want to build together.
Ortiz is penciled in for a late-September return after February hand surgery that followed his emphatic win over ex-WBA titlist Israil Madrimov. The 26-year-old has campaigned exclusively at 154 lbs since health issues forced him out of the welterweight chase, and Golden Boy believe a healthy Ortiz is ready to skip straight to elite company.
Charlo, meanwhile, hasn’t fought since daring to jump two divisions and falling short against Canelo Álvarez in September 2023. Re-energized by brotherly camaraderie, Jermell appears eager to reassert himself at his natural weight. A duel with Ortiz would offer both a fresh marquee payday and an acid test of just how much tread remains on the 35-year-old’s tires.
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Timing is fluid. De La Hoya says it’s “too early” to lock in a date, but Ortiz’s recovery timeline and Charlo’s renewed gym presence point toward winter if negotiations gain traction. And while Jermall Charlo lines up a likely WBA interim clash with Caleb Plant, even though Caleb got a split decision loss in yesterday's fight, the prospect of twin headliners in separate weight classes could restore the Charlo brand’s double-barrel buzz.
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Image Credit: Sky Sports