There is a lot of optimism on both sides that the junior middleweight matchup could get finalized this week, and that the fight would take place in April in Las Vegas, The Ring's Mike Coppinger reported on Monday's episode of "Inside The Ring" on DAZN.

Ortiz (24-0, 22 KOs) and Ennis (35-0, 31 KOs) have been embroiled in back-and-forth negotiations in recent months, and the process became even more complicated once Ortiz sued his promoter, Golden Boy, last month.

Ortiz and Ennis have been focused on a fight against each other ever since Ortiz knocked out Erickson Lubin in two rounds on November 8. Immediately after the fight ended, Ennis and promoter Eddie Hearn entered the ring and kicked off the buildup with a face-to-face confrontation.

Ennis, a former Ring, IBF and WBA welterweight champion, made his 154-pound debut in October with a first-round stoppage win against Uisma Lima.

Ortiz is The Ring's No. 1-rated fighter in the division; Ennis is ranked fifth.