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The high-octane Vergil Ortiz-Erickson Lubin card is finally over. The WBC interim light middleweight champion retained his belt with elan, pummeling a hapless Lubin in the second round. Though the undercard was relatively unappealing, the DAZN-streamed Golden Boy headliner nonetheless lived up to expectations. Thankfully, a few ringside moments helped keep fans on their toes.

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They saw former unified welterweight champion Errol Spence Jr. and Teofimo Lopez mingling with the crowd. However, it was a ringside banter that gained the most traction. An exchange between former light middleweight champion Jermell Charlo and Jaron Ennis quickly went viral, drawing even Claressa Shields into the comments box.

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Jaron Ennis lands in Jermell Charlo’s crosshairs

Especially amid ongoing talks of a potential super fight between Vergil Ortiz Jr. and Jaron Ennis, the verbal duel with Charlo added an intriguing twist. Boots joined Eddie Hearn and the rest of the team at Dickies Arena to watch the Ortiz-Lubin fight. Sharing footage of his exchange with Charlo, DAZN posted, “Things are getting interesting ringside. 👀” Thankfully, the interaction appeared friendly. With Eddie Hearn standing beside Boots, amid loud cheers and booming music, Jermell Charlo could be heard saying, “You’ve been around the corner; you know how I get down… You already know I’m a bad motherf**ker….” After shaking Ennis’s hand, Charlo addressed Hearn: “Stop talking crazy; get this sh*t together.

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Perhaps Hearn and Ennis have too much on their plate right now to entertain another callout. They walked away smiling, leaving Charlo talking. Only last month, the former undisputed champion had called out Jaron Ennis, saying, “I think Boots is a great fight, though. I’ll give Boots all the problems in the world.” But as most fans know, calling out a fighter is one thing; actually making the fight happen is another. It’s been two years since Jermell Charlo last stepped into the ring, and the boxing landscape has changed considerably since then.

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Let’s take a look at some of the fan reactions as the Charlo-Boots footage made the rounds.

Charlo-Boots’ verbal exchange becomes the talk of the night

One fan was certain of the outcome: “Boots will 💨 Charlo; easy work.” Though Charlo jumped up two weight classes to face Canelo, his inactivity has done little to inspire confidence in his current form. One of the best responses came from Claressa Shields. The whole exchange amused the two-time Olympic gold medalist, who seemed to laugh uncontrollably: “😂😂😂😂😂😂.”

Another fan pointed out the obvious issue Jermell Charlo currently faces: “He ain’t fought since Canelo, and he’s still talking crazy. Smh, this is coming from a fan.” His twin brother, Jermall, finally made a comeback after a two-year layoff earlier this May. So Jermell Charlo will have to make a decision soon before time catches up with him.

Still, the prospect of two big names squaring off hasn’t lost all its spark. One user wrote, “They have to make this fight!” However, with Boots potentially headed toward a high-stakes showdown against Vergil Ortiz Jr., a matchup with Charlo, who currently isn’t ranked, seems unlikely, at least for now.

Soon, a stark reality emerged. What would have happened if Ortiz Jr. had failed to win? So one fan suggested, “If Ortiz doesn’t win, I’d rather see Boots fight Charlo than Lubin ngl.” That’s a bold take, given how much momentum the Boots-Ortiz matchup has gained. And had Lubin claimed the interim title, a Boots-Lubin fight would have made more sense.

Considering the exchange, a Boots vs. Charlo fight remains a long shot.

More importantly, fans should ask: What exactly does Jermell Charlo bring to the table right now? He holds no belts, and his popularity isn’t what it once was. Would it really benefit Boots to face the 35-year-old former champion? Or should he instead pursue a title shot against one of the current belt holders? Or, as it strongly appears, face off against Vergil Ortiz Jr.?

Would you want to see Jaron Ennis vs. Jermell Charlo?

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Written by

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Jaideep R Unnithan

3,652 Articles

Jaideep R. Unnithan is a Senior Boxing Writer at EssentiallySports and one of the division’s most trusted voices. Since joining in October 2022, he has brought a deep love for the sport into every story, whether reporting on live bouts with the ES LiveEvent Desk or unpacking the legacy of fighters from different eras as part of the features desk. Trained under EssentiallySports’ prestigious Journalistic Excellence Program, which is a specialized training initiative designed to refine top writers' skills through mentorship and advanced sports journalism techniques, Jaideep’s writing reflects a quiet authority shaped by two years of covering boxing’s flashpoints and fault lines. He is drawn to the warrior code of legends like Alexis Argüello and Marvin Hagler, while also staying attuned to the promise of rising stars like Jesse 'Bam' Rodriguez, David Benavidez, and Dmitry Bivol. Jaideep has a special fascination with Naoya Inoue’s old-school grit. Beyond writing, he reads widely, a habit that sharpens his storytelling, whether he’s tracing the rhythm of a classic fight or preparing his next ringside dispatch. Before joining EssentiallySports, Jaideep worked as a client manager and team manager in corporate roles, bringing strong organizational and communication skills to his journalistic career. He has also completed notable certifications, including a Non-Fiction Book Writing Workshop.

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Gokul Pillai

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