Vergil Ortiz Jnr has revealed that an offer was recently made to Jermell Charlo for an all-Texas showdown.
According to Ortiz, 23-0 (21 KOs) the proposal was declined by the former undisputed 154lb champion.
There seemed to be a merry-go-round of talks between some of the leading names at junior middleweight recently. Erickson Lubin negotiated for bouts with both Bakhram Murtazaliev, 23-0 (17 KOs) and Ortiz, whilst Ortiz also tried to tempt WBO champion Xander Zayas, 22-0 (13 KOs) into the ring.
In the end, talks with Zayas stalled and Ortiz signed to fight Lubin on November 8 in Fort Worth, Texas. However, the unbeaten WBC interim titlist from nearby Grand Prairie revealed that he had also made an offer to another top fighter at 154lbs.
That man was Jermell Charlo, the man who once held every belt at junior middleweight.
Houston’s Charlo, 35-2-1 (19 KOs), has not fought since a lopsided points defeat to Saul "Canelo" Alvarez back in 2023, but has been hinting at a comeback in recent weeks.
Charlo took to social media to post images of a lion [symbolizing him] with his jaws around a giraffe [Sebastian Fundora], a shark [Errol Spence Jnr], and a boot [Jaron ‘Boots’ Ennis]. He also posted a picture of a lion with its jaws around a bull neck with “Ortiz” written across it.
The gesture was confusing to Ortiz, given how their talks went for the proposed secondary title fight.
“We offered him a fight and he turned it down,” Ortiz told BoxingScene. “He turned it down, this was kind of recently, this was like for this fight [in Texas], that would have been.
“I don't want to put his reasons out there if it's true or not, but he did have a reason, I think it was just an excuse, but yeah, he turned it down. So, we did try for that one already.”
After Charlo rejected the offer, would Ortiz revisit talks in the future?
“Oh for sure, yeah, I would love to fight him,” he said.
Charlo’s reasons are unclear, though he will have options for what will mark his first fight in more than two years. He is currently the WBA “Champion in Recess” at 154lbs. The primary version of the belt is held by Terence Crawford, 41-0 (31 KOs), who is due to next challenge undisputed 168lbs champ Alvarez, 62-2-2 (39 KOs) on September 13 in Las Vegas.
As previously reported by BoxingScene, Crawford will be relieved of his belt once the bell sounds to begin their Netflix main event. Abass Baraou, the current WBA interim titleholder, will be upgraded to full titlist and immediately ordered to next face Charlo.
There is also very loose talk that Charlo will return to the ring in December, even linked to a clash against Spence, his former longtime training stablemate.
Tom Ivers is an amateur boxer who has a master’s degree in sports journalism. He had his first bout in 2013, joined BoxingScene in 2024 and is now a key part of the UK and social media teams.
