DAZN’s Chris Mannix reported during the Isaac Cruz-Nestor Bravo broadcast on Saturday night that The Ring’s No. 2-rated junior middleweight is planning to return before the end of the year, with December 12 being the target date.

The three names Mannix mentioned were Jermell Charlo, Jesus Ramos and Keith Thurman as potential opponents for the 28-year-old knockout artist from Grand Prairie, Texas. Ramos (24-1, 19 KOs), The Ring’s No. 9-ranked middleweight, was scheduled to defend his WBC interim title against Meeirim Nursultanov (20-0, 11 KOs) in the co-feature before Cruz knocked out Bravo in the sixth round, but he withdrew after he was hospitalized Thursday. The WBC then ordered WBC middleweight champion Carlos Adames to face Nursultanov next on Tuesday, and that the winner must face Ramos next, according to Dan Rafael.

The 154-pound champions are tied up between WBA and WBO champion Jaron “Boots” Ennis appearing poised for a unification clash with IBF titleholder Josh Kelly later this year, and WBC champion Sebastian Fundora facing mandatory challenger Ermal Hadribeaj on October 17 in Las Vegas. As a result, Ortiz will have to look elsewhere for his first fight since his second-round stoppage of Erickson Lubin on November 8.

Who should Ortiz face in his next fight?