Vergil Ortiz Jr. missed out on a massive payday north of 16 million dollars after a clash with Jaron Ennis got shut down, according to his father. That turns the scheduled meeting with Keith Thurman into an expensive consolation prize instead of the marquee event everyone wanted.

Ortiz Sr. claimed Ennis sat right at the top of the list in his son’s settlement agreement, while Thurman occupied the very bottom. That perspective reshapes how people view Vergil’s matchmaking, raising questions about whether promotional politics killed the premier matchup.

“I don’t know how much I can say legal-wise… but Vergil was offered a lot of money, a lot more money, and it could even be north of that,” Ortiz Sr. said in an interview with Stephen Gorder at K.O Artist Sports, responding to a question about a $16 million Ennis offer.

Ortiz Sr. pointed directly to a deliberate choice to shut the bout down, though he never named the specific person responsible. He guessed that financial motives got in the way because outside parties stood to miss out on the revenue.

The distinction is crucial. Ortiz Sr. insists the bout got blocked, yet his reasoning remains purely speculative. He also emphasized that he never handles Vergil’s actual contract negotiations.

Ortiz Sr. outlined the settlement ranking as Ennis first, followed by Sebastian Fundora, Tim Tszyu, Erislandy Lara, with Thurman bringing up the rear. Nobody produced the actual document during the interview to verify the claims.

If that order holds true, Thurman was simply the final name left on the board once preferred options fell through. It clarifies how the matchup came together, even if it does little to satisfy fans eager to see Ennis in the opposite corner.

Walking away from that level of cash puts real weight behind the father’s frustration. Vergil missed the chance at a massive purse against an elite rival. Now he steps into the middleweight division against a veteran who offers very little upside, even in victory.

00:29

Vergil Ortiz Jr. RETURNS to face off against Keith “ONE TIME” Thurman!

DAZN Boxing · 24 hours ago

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Vergil Ortiz Jr is back & we can't wait to see him return 🙌

DAZN Boxing · 1 day ago