In the end, The Hammer got hammered. The Texas Machine proved too much for the 30-year-old Floridian. The Golden Boy-DAZN headliner came to an abrupt halt in the second round when a dazzling array of combinations from Vergil Ortiz Jr. left a hapless Erickson Lubin hanging on the ropes. It didn’t take much for the referee to step in and put an end to Lubin’s misery. The sensational finish to an otherwise mundane event, one that lacked big-name star power outside the main event, was the proverbial icing on the cake.

As Vergil Ortiz Jr. climbed the ropes and roared to the cheering crowd, fans and well-known names from the boxing world joined in the celebration. Many poured their hearts out on social media. Perhaps their excitement had much to do with the direction Ortiz Jr.’s victory now takes – the road to Jaron Ennis, who incidentally appeared at Dickies Arena alongside promoter Eddie Hearn. Adding more fuel to the growing buzz around their much-anticipated matchup, the two light middleweight stars finally came face-to-face in the ring.

Vergil Ortiz delivers a statement win; Jaron Ennis looms next

“OMGGG!!! VERGILLLLL!!!! 😱,” screamed DAZN’s tweet, adding, “Vergil Ortiz Jr. STOPS Erickson Lubin in round 2!” Meanwhile, Ring Magazine summed up what everyone was thinking: “Vergil Ortiz Jr. made easy work of Erickson Lubin. 💥 Is Jaron Ennis next❓”

Ortiz Jr. entered the fight on the back of a solid decision win over Israil Madrimov on the Beterbiev-Bivol card in February. The victory brought him closer to a potential showdown with Boots Ennis. The Philadelphian had joined the 154-pound ranks in the meantime and made his intentions clear with a first-round win over Uisma Lima last month.

It’s been some time since talks of a fight between Ennis and Ortiz Jr. first surfaced. Both camps have been staking their own claims. Eddie Hearn, who promotes Ennis, has repeatedly stated that they want Ortiz. But the tough Texan’s team firmly disputes that. They wonder whether Boots will truly step up to the challenge.

Let’s take a look at how some celebrities reacted to Vergil Ortiz Jr.’s win.

Boxing’s biggest names join fans in hailing Ortiz – all eyes on Boots Ennis next

Edgar Berlanga was unusually respectful when he said, “Shout out to both fighters tonight, Lubin and also Vergil 🙏🏼.” No wonder he caught a few taunts, with one user reminding him of the pounding he took at the hands of Hamzah Sheeraz.

For some, like Claressa Shields, Ortiz Jr.’s power seemed unreal. The undisputed champion wrote, “Damn, congrats, @VergilOrtiz! The power is real… I did not see that coming! Sheesh.” And as camera footage showed Jaron Ennis ringside, Shields joined the growing excitement around the potential matchup. “Lol @JaronEnnis on that! Sheesh! I can’t wait to see this one! “Vergil Ortiz vs. @JaronEnnis 🎆,” the two-time Olympic gold medalist said.

Team USA coach Christine Lopez owed Ortiz Jr. an apology after underestimating him. She wrote, “Ohhhh shit!!! @VergilOrtiz I apologize for saying it was gonna go longer!” And like many others, she also wondered whether Boots Ennis would still take the challenge after witnessing that performance: “I hope 🥾 is still going to mount the ring after this! yo.”

Eminent boxing writer Jake Donovan was more direct than most: “Onto Boots!! Vergil Ortiz Jr. with a 2nd-round TKO of Erickson Lubin. Crowd loves it… and so does Ennis, who is grinning ear-to-ear at ringside.” Yes, that’s what the crowd and scores of fans around the world want to see.

Only, if the Boots-Ortiz fight doesn’t happen now, it would be nothing short of a tragedy.

The bout with Erickson Lubin was perhaps Ortiz’s final hurdle. Now, both camps have few excuses left to delay negotiations. Any deviation from this matchup would leave fans deeply disappointed. Both Jaron Ennis and Vergil Ortiz Jr. are in their prime. A fight between them could well be the Canelo-Crawford of 2026.

Did you expect the Ortiz Jr.-Lubin fight to end so early?