Boxing News
Erislandy Lara, Jermell Charlo both in play for Tim Tszyu, Vergil Ortiz Jnr
Sep 8, 2026 • 7:27 PM ET
Dylan Trevino/ Premier Boxing ChampionsThey’re crunching the numbers, calculating the air miles and plotting the repercussions.
Both WBA middleweight champion Erislandy Lara and former undisputed junior-middleweight champion Jermell Charlo are in consideration for middleweight bouts against former 154lbs champion Tim Tszyu and current WBC interim junior-middleweight champion Vergil Ortiz Jnr, BoxingScene learned Tuesday.
At 43, Lara, 32-3-3 (19 KOs), possesses the valuable belt that has drawn interest from Australia’s popular Tszyu, 28-3 (18 KOs), who is coming off a July 26 unanimous-decision triumph over former three-belt welterweight champion Errol Spence Jnr in Sydney.
Lara hasn’t fought since a December unanimous-decision victory over Johan Gonzalez in Texas. He compiled 19 rounds in the four-plus years before that.
Yet, Charlo, 35-2-1 (19 KOs), who hasn’t fought in three years since his loss to Canelo Alvarez, is also seeking a title shot at Lara.
Charlo’s popularity is a strong draw in his home country, the finances might allow for a Charlo-Tszyu bout, one official familiar with the talks said.
If so, that would allow Texas’ Ortiz to finally pursue his first title shot as he’s decided to exit the junior-middleweight division rather than waiting out unified champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis’ chase of an undisputed crown with England’s Josh Kelly and California’s Sebastian Fundora wearing the other 154lbs belts.
Charlo, 36, has expressed a strong interest in returning to the ring, regardless of the opponent, BoxingScene was told, and a bout against fellow Texan Ortiz, 24-0 (22 KOs), would be possible if the finances can please.
Ortiz manager Rick Mirigian last month named Charlo as his top choice to be Ortiz’s next opponent.
Although Ortiz fights for Oscar De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions and Charlo is with Al Haymon’s Premier Boxing Champions, both promoters have DAZN as a streaming partner, which has led to a push for increased quality cross-promoted bouts.
An official told BoxingScene that while both fights would be made for separate cards, it’s possible the winners will then fight each other.
Lance Pugmire has been a full-time boxing writer for nearly 20 years, serving now as BoxingScene’s U.S. Senior Writer and assistant producer for ProBoxTV’s “BoxingScene Today.” Pugmire capped a near 20-year career at the Los Angeles Times (sports investigations, NHL/MLB beat work, law enforcement/courts and boxing/UFC) to join The Athletic, and then USA Today. Pugmire’s stint at The Times started with the first Israel Vazquez-Rafael Marquez fight and the Oscar De La Hoya-Floyd Mayweather Jnr then-record pay-per-view, leading through a slew of ringside assignments at major bouts, including Mayweather-Pacquiao, Mayweather-Canelo and the Canelo-Golovkin trilogy. Lance’s appreciation for boxing is rooted in his admiration and appreciation for the fighters, gladiators who have proven to be the most forthcoming and candid of all the athletes he has interviewed over a career dating to 1990. Lance was honored to be named the 2022 winner of the Boxing Writers Association of America Nat Fleischer Award for career excellence and he’s collected many BWAA writing awards in categories ranging from breaking news to deep-dive long features.
