Trainer Robert Garcia has accused Jaron Ennis of ducking Vergil Ortiz Jr by targeting injured light-middleweight Josh Kelly instead. Garcia claims Ennis is pursuing an easier route to a world title rather than accepting a significantly lucrative showdown against Ortiz.
Ennis has publicly expressed his desire to unify world titles at 154 pounds, naming Kelly and WBC champion Sebastian Fundora as potential targets. However, Kelly is currently recovering from a serious cut sustained in his previous outing. Garcia believes Ennis’s team is looking to capitalize on Kelly’s physical vulnerability rather than taking the most competitive match available in the division.
Speaking to reporter Sean Zittel, Garcia questioned the motives behind targeting the British fighter over his own charge.
“If Boots decides to fight Kelly and take advantage of Kelly being cut and everything, then that’s kind of showing me that you really don’t want to fight Virgil,” Garcia said.
Ortiz has already returned to full training camp as he looks for his next fight. Garcia dismissed any suggestion that his fighter requires a warm-up bout before entering a main-event contest against Ennis.
“We don’t need a tuneup. We want to go straight into Boots,” he stated.
While Ennis maintains that collecting belts across the division remains his primary objective, Garcia rejected that explanation. He insists that a bout with Ortiz presents a far greater challenge and financial reward than facing Kelly.
“If Boots decides to go after him and take advantage of that big old cut, then that’s the way they’re going to do it. I can’t force them either,” Garcia said.
“The fight against Virgil is three times bigger when it comes to his payday, to a meaningful fight. Nobody’s going to care because you beat Kelly or you beat Virgil. A win over somebody like Virgil means a lot more than Josh Kelly.”
Garcia remains adamant that Ortiz would triumph if the two fighters meet. He expressed complete conviction that his fighter holds the tactical advantage to inflict a decisive defeat on Ennis.
