MORENO VALLEY, California – As he inspected the man he believes is the world’s best 154lbs boxer go through his routine one month before another non-title bout, trainer Robert Garcia summed it up this way: “It’s difficult knowing that the belts are there, that you’re the best 154-pounder and no one’s giving you an opportunity,” Garcia said.

Unbeaten WBC interim champion Vergil Ortiz Jnr says he’s past the prior resentment over his plight. He’s not resigned to it. He’s intent on instead finding the best available opponent, regardless, retaining confidence the title fights will be forthcoming.

“A lot of people understand what’s going on,” Ortiz Jnr, 23-0 (21 KOs), told BoxingScene with exactly one month remaining before his November 8 DAZN-streamed bout in Fort Worth, Texas, against former 154lbs title challenger Erickson Lubin, 27-2 (19 KOs), whose only losses are to former undisputed champion Jermell Charlo and current WBC beltholder Sebastian Fundora.

“I’m just not getting my shot, or they just don’t want to fight. [Fight fans] know I want to take on the toughest fights possible, and I am optimistic that these fights are going to happen. We’ve just got to force it one way or another.”

The most logical title pursuit is at Fundora, 23-1-1 (15 KOs), who defends his belt October 25 in Las Vegas against former unified welterweight champion Keith Thurnan.

“Ultimately, I think they will fight Vergil. When you’re talking about the business side, Fundora is with [Premier Boxing Champions] and they have a lot of fighters for him,” Garcia said.

“When PBC and [Thurman promoter, Oscar De La Hoya’s] Golden Boy get together to make the fight, it will be really good for the sport. I know Fundora. Fundora will fight Vergil. They’re giving him Thurman next because Vergil is too big of a risk. It’s always like that with Vergil.”

The fact that the pair are fighting so near each other on the calendar would seemingly make it obvious that the WBC should invoke a mandatory order for the pair of 27-year-olds to fight each other early next year should they both win these coming bouts.

“We are going to review all the mandatories at our convention [in Thailand] December 3,” WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman told BoxingScene. “We can provide a specific plan to fight each other. If they remain active and healthy and keep doing all they can do, there’ll be a time when they can meet each other.”

Talks between IBF 154lbs champion Bakhram Murtazaliev and Ortiz crumbled earlier this year when Ortiz pointed to his prior weight-cut illnesses for balking at committing to the IBF’s 10-pound rehydration post-weigh-in limit on fight day.

And new WBO champion Xander Zayas, 22, failed to strike a deal with Ortiz over the summer, leading him to Lubin.

“The WBO and Top Rank have plans for Xander Zayas. He’s a young kid. He needs a lot of work. He’s from Puerto Rico,” Garcia assessed. “They want to keep him a champion. I don’t blame them.”

Ortiz is coming off victories by decision over former WBC interim champion Serhii Bohachuk and ex-WBA champion Israil Madrimov.

For now, Lubin is squarely in his sights.

“What we have to look out for is that he’s at a turning point in his career,” Ortiz said. “He’s had two losses. He can’t really lose anymore. He wants to get to a title fight. He wants my belt. He wants his rematch with Fundora. Time’s ticking for him. We need to watch out for a live dog that’s backed into a corner. We’ve just got to be on our toes, worried about everything.”

That attitude is old hat for Ortiz, who said since his pro debut, he’s trained to “expect the toughest fight ever. You’ve just got to be prepared. It’s better to be overprepared than underprepared.”

That same type of uncertainty applies to the high-profile (and non-title) fight that may await him in 2026: a showdown with Philadelphia’s unbeaten former unified welterweight champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis, 34-0 (30 KOs), who meets little-known Uisma Lima Saturday in his 154lbs debut on DAZN.

“Absolutely, that’s a great fight that can happen, and I want it to happen,” Ortiz said on the same day Ennis was saying he envisions an Ortiz showdown.
“That fight needs an answer. Even I’ve been wondering, ‘What’s going to happen in that fight?’ At 147. Now at 154. I’m excited to be a part of big fights that everyone wants to see.”

Ortiz said he leans into that uncertainty over his bouts outcomes as fuel to motivate him during training.

“I’m always confident in my abilities, IQ and my toughness. I’m going to be honest: I don’t go into any fight thinking, ‘I’m going to win.’ If I know, I’m going to think, ‘I got this.’ You can’t do that. You can’t be scared or uncertain. I’m in between,” he said. “I think, ‘I can win. I’ve just got to do the right things, be on point.’” 

Asked if Ennis is the 154-pounder he wants at most, Ortiz responded, “I just want the best. I want to fight everybody. Like Oscar, he fought everybody. Fernando Vargas. I want to be respected when I retire.”

Garcia says his fighter is proceeding nicely toward Lubin. 

“He’s very relaxed, happy, training easily. His body’s healthy and fresh, sparring twice a week. He’s motivated,” Garcia said. “Right now, he’s the best in the world, and it’s crazy to say that with four champions with world titles.”

Ortiz will remain at 154 likely through 2026, but he said a move to middleweight is “going to happen. It’s inevitable.”

He’s considered the possibility of moving up if pound-for-pound king Terence Crawford, 38, won a sixth world title as a middleweight next year.

“That’s what I’m saying … it’s an intriguing fight,” Ortiz said.

Until then, he’ll rely on the credibility he’s built among fight fans – that, belt or no, he possesses a champion’s talent.

“I think I have a lot of fans who think that,” Ortiz said. “People know what’s going on.”