IBF welterweight champion Jaron "Boots" Ennis (pictured) certainIy appears to be ducking junior middleweight contender Vergil Ortiz Jr. In his first social media post since the story broke, Ennis certainly didn't seem eager to face Ortiz, who recently moved up from welterweight himself. Ennis wrote, "I seen the rumors on social media just like yall did as far as the fight with me and Vergil. I was unaware that alleged negotiations was being made on my end. From here on out, if it didn't come from me and me only, don't believe it. I will address if I'm staying at 147 [pounds] or moving up to 154 at a later date and time."

 

It looks like undefeated Puerto Rican junior middlewight Xander Zayas is willing to step in for Ennis and fight Ortiz. Zayas wrote: "They gave me an hour to say yes. I said yes in one minute. @VergilOrtiz @trboxing @Turki_alalshikh @GoldenBoyBoxing."

 

Earlier, Ortiz responded to reports that Ennis turned down the fight by saying: "I’ve always said I’ll fight anybody and I remained true to my word. Every single person that I have been offered to fight I said yes. It takes two to tango in boxing, so if I’m not in that ring fighting someone, know it’s not my fault! Time for some of you guys to stop saying I’m ducking and don’t wanna fight because that’s not the case this time and never was. 100 percent!"